We’vehad a pope(sometimes two at once ) for two millennium ; we ’ve had cars for a hundred . For most of popedom , the header of the Catholic Christian church was hold around on achair held aloft by twelve poles , one for each adherent . There was one human beings per pole , and they lifted the Bishop of Rome up above the throng crowds , the better to see his pointy hat and waving manus . Once the automobile and its safety and utility had been shew , though , the Vatican was happy to accept railcar as gifts . ( For an exhaustive archive of the Pope ’s transportation choices , considerThe Washington Post’sillustrated history . )
Since the first Popemobile arrived on the view , different pontiffs have drill their personal vehicle preferences , trading in Mercedes - Benz limos for custom - build trucks , luxury SUVs , and armored vehicles .
Below are a few of themore interesting vehiclesPope Francis and his predecessors have waved from over the past century — not including theFerrariPope John Paul II had in the Vatican garage .
1. 1930 MERCEDES-BENZ 460 NURBURG EDITION
Courtesy ofMotor Trend
When Mercedes - Benz gave Pope Pius XI a stretch 460 Nurburg edition car , those 12 pole - carry guys were probably reasonably relieved . Vatican insiders at the time merely called this Benz “ the Rome vehicle , ” as it was used as a kind of around - Ithiel Town gondola . It did n’t have any armor , though Mercedes made that selection available in 1928 . Like all the Roman Catholic Pope ’s cars to come in , this one carry the permission plate “ SCV-1 , ” for “ condition civitatus Vaticanae , ” and the pope being Numero Uno . The Vatican maintain this particular car for 30 year . The pope must have one underworld of a machinist .
Mercedes - Benz proudly proclaims that it has always been the official vehicle supplier of the Popes , but that ’s only kind of true . When Vicar of Christ started jetting around the world in the mid - 20th century , local manufacturers would kit out a car for them to expend while in foreign nation .
2. 1964 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL LIMOUSINE
Courtesy ofCatholicHotDish
Pope Paul VI was the first Roman Catholic Pope to visit the United States , in 1964 , and he was given a fatLincoln Continental limousineto employment for his term of enlistment . It was customized by Lehmann - Peterson with platforms for security officers along the sides , an exposed roof , and a little 10 - inch windshield above the usual windshield to keep the air from blow off the Bishop of Rome ’s beanie . Since a limousine would n’t fit in the overhead bins , Pope Paul did n’t take the car home as a relic . Instead , it remained Stateside and would be used by returning American astronauts and in Chicago as a parade car for dignitaries .
3. 1979 FORD CUSTOM: THE FIRST “POPEMOBILE”
Courtesy ofWorld Irish
The first car know popularly as the Popemobile debuted in Dublin , Ireland , in 1979 . A Ford hand truck wascompletely customizedto carry the waving Pope John Paul II above the gang , much the same way the twelve man with rod carried the onetime popes out to see the masses . The truck has what looks like a greenhouse , which support the can and was giving enough to house a little apostolical entourage , too . There was also an opened - air platform for suffer and being beneficent . Sound good to you ? You ’re in fortune ! This repaint Popemobile can be yours for £ 300 a dark , courtesy of its current owners at the Dublin Wax Museum .
4. 1982 CUSTOM LAND ROVERS (AND AN ILL-FATED FIAT)
Getty Images
Popemobilesmade a big changeafter John Paul II was shot four time — not fatally — in 1981 . On his tour of the United Kingdom in 1982 , he used two to the full armored , turkey - substantiation , four - rack - drive Land Rovers to get around . They also had the greenhouse and throne in back for profile and flap , but the pope ’s advisors put the kibosh on the outdoor platform . ( By the path , when John Paul II was shoot , he was riding in a jeep - corresponding modified Fiat Campaignola . Benedict XVI used it even as belated as 2012 to get around the Vatican . )
5. 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ G-CLASS SUV
In 2002 , Pope John Paul II traded up for a more hip Mercedes - Benz G - Wagen in his signature papal Mystic White . In keeping with his new , coolheaded persona , he also require that people turn back call his modified cars with thrones “ Popemobiles . ” The toilet itself is blanched with the Vatican ’s pelage of arms embroider in the upholstery . The Pope may be infallible and the Vicar of Christ on Earth , but the Holy Scripture “ Popemobile ” is here to stay .
6. 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS SUV
Courtesy ofCarAdvice
In early 2013 — that ’s just before Pope Benedict XVI herald his retreat — the Vaticanunveiled a new versionof the Popemobile . The Mercedes - Benz M - Class sport soft halogen fall over the throne and a motorized lift in the greenhouse to raise the pope up even further for good visibility . This M - Class was made shorter , too , take a shit it wanton to make for along on a plane .
7 . 2015 CUSTOM JEEP horse wrangler
Pope Francis has chosen to shun the high - security Popemobiles used by his predecessor , likening the bulletproof railcar tosardine tin can . When he visited Ecuador in July 2015 , he locomote in a custom - build up , unarmoured Jeep . When he bring in the U.S. this workweek , he again choose for something not too ostentatious . He rode from the airport in a diminutiveFiat 500L , and during his advancement around D.C. ’s National Mall , he waved to crowds from his retrofittedJeep Wrangler .
A reading of this post originally appeared in 2013 .
