It’s hard to imagine the Pope being driven around in anything other than a white Mercedes with a big box on the back, but Leo XIV will be able to get around the Vatican in something foreign those around him.
Last month, Ford CEO Jim Farley gifted Pope Leo XIV a new Ford Explorer Platinum hybrid, customised for His Holiness and to celebrate the links between him, the SUV and Chicago.
As the first Pope from the US, much was made at the time of Leo XIV’s Chicago roots, such as his support for the White Sox baseball team and the Bears in the NFL, which Ford wanted to honour in the Explorer.
Initially built with workers of the Chicago Assembly Plant – located less than 10km away from the Pontiff’s family home – not informed of who the special customer was, subtle touches include the flag on Chicago on the front seat bolsters, and the city skyline stitched onto the centre console.
To connect it to Leo XIV’s current home, an engraving of Saint Peter’s Basilica together with the Chicago skyline is on the scuff plates, while less-than-subtle touches include vanity number plates, reading “DA POPE” and “LEO XIV” – two things sure to attract attention.
While the Vatican’s most recently added Popemobile is an electric Mercedes-Benz G-Wagen, the Explorer doesn’t travel silently, being powered by a 3.3-litre V6 hybrid engine, producing up to 237kW and 450Nm.
“He noticed and appreciated all the personal touches,” CEO Farley Leo XIV’s reaction to his new Explorer.
“We even took a quick drive, and I can confirm the Holy Father enjoys driving a sporty ride.”
According to Ford, His Holiness “plans to use the vehicle to cross the Vatican grounds”.
Though Ford’s gift is a touching one, previous Popes have been the recipients of slightly more exotic vehicles, such as Pope John Paul II who was gifted the final Ferrari Enzo, something which he requested to be auctioned to raise money for victims of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami.
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