RPT-INTERVIEW-Ford's Volvo sees record sales year in 2007

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PRAGUE, June 26 (Reuters) - Volvo Cars, the Swedish unit of Ford Motor Co , expects record sales in 2007, its Chief Executive Fredrik Arp said on Tuesday.

Arp said Volvo aimed to beat the 2004 record sales of 456,000 cars.

"Our ambition is to beat that number and I think we are well on the way to do it for the full year," he told Reuters in an interview.

Last year, sales and output were at 430,000, Arp said.

He said the small C30 as well as a new model based on a concept car called the XC60, which will come on line in 2008, should help future growth.

"We have a vision for 2009 to have 600,000 cars (sales and production) but that is going to be a tough challenge," Arp said, adding that figure equalled Volvo's production capacity.

Arp declined comment on media reports in recent weeks saying various car makers such as BMW , Renault and Swedish truck maker AB Volvo may be interested in buying Volvo Cars from Ford.