Slovakia, a small landlocked country in the heart of Europe, faces a perfect storm as it seeks to protect its enviable automotive reputation .

From the establishment of the Bratislava Automobile Works (BAZ) in the early 1970s through to the fall of communism and its subsequent ascension to the European Union, Slovakia has positioned itself as the world's leading producer of cars per capita.

Nicknamed "Europe's Detroit," the mountainous nation of just 5.4 million has attracted major manufacturers such as Volkswagen , Stellantis , Kia and Jaguar Land Rover.

Sweden's Volvo Cars is also poised to open an electric vehicle factory near Kosice in eastern Slovakia, representing the country's fifth manufacturing facility.

Such is its dominance, Slovakia's auto industry c

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