Ford is holding detailed discussions with potential buyers of Volvo cars, and has been pleased by the number and quality of parties interested in the Swedish carmaker, a spokesman said on Wednesday.

We've had contact with a number of parties who've expressed interest concerning the future of Volvo. Ford's been pleased with the number and quality of those parties, John Gardiner, Ford's European director of strategic communications said, citing a message sent to Volvo employees earlier on Wednesday.

We've had preliminary discussions to determine the level of interest in the Volvo business that they have and we're now talking in more detail to those parties about the future for Volvo, he added.

He said the process could lead to a sale of the business but no final decision has been taken and negotiations would take some time.

(Reporting by Quentin Webb; Editing by Greg Mahlich)

Ford Motor Company