Despite running at a loss for the past three years in a row, totaling some $1.15 billion, Ford CFO Don Leclair is confident the company’s Premier Automotive Group will return to profit in 2007 telling Automotive News “we expect PAG to be profitable this year.” The key is to offset the massive losses from the ailing Jaguar luxury brand, which last year alone lost over $715 million and is expecting future losses for the next several years.

Ford will rely on the earnings of Volvo to counterbalance the losses of Jaguar. Traditionally, Volvo earns between $800 million and $1.2 billion per year, but several new models should boost the brand’s results in 2007, especially in the US where sales have started to slow. PAG’s coffers will also receive an inflow of cash from the eventual sale of Aston Martin, which is expected to fetch in excess of $1 billion, though this figure won’t be added to the company’s profit results.