Volkswagen Bratislava Plant

The Volkswagen Bratislava Plant is an automotive factory and co-located test track in Bratislava, Slovakia owned by Volkswagen Group.

Funded by the ruling Communist Party to expand car production across Czechoslovakia, it agreed a partnership in 1969 with Italian automaker Alfa Romeo, but the proposed new-model was never developed beyond the clay-mock-up.

On 1 July 1971, Bratislavské Automobilové Závody (BAZ) was founded, sub-contracted to produce Škoda Auto models, but with all pressings and parts supplied by the Czech-based partner. The factory began producing the Mladá Boleslav-designed 731 (saloon) and 732 (station wagon), as well as other BAZ marketed small (MNA) and medium-sized trucks (SNA). Later vehicles developed included the 3-door Locusta coupé.

After developing a partnership with Tatra, the company also produced military vehicles, including the popular Praga V3S.

BAZ vehicle production ended in 1982, when the production of the Škoda Garde was started, with the resultant development of the factory spurring the construction of new apartment blocks in the borough of Devínska Nová Ves. However, parts supply from the parent plant in the Czech Republic was slow, resulting often in a number of part-finished vehicles being held in storage, often awaiting singular parts. The factory later produced the Škoda Rapid 130/135/136, as well as a variety of parts for other car manufacturers in Czechoslovakia.

After the fall of the Iron Curtain, in May 1991 Volkswagen Group bought an 80% share of BAZ. Skoda Auto production continued, and was expanded to include other models within the VW Group portfolio, initially the Volkswagen Passat. In 1998 Volkswagen Group bought out the remaining company shares, and renamed the company Volkswagen Slovakia. Volkswagen then bought the remaining shares in Skoda Auto in 2000.

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