Pope Francis took one last ride in a Mercedes before death. History of the 'popemobile.'

USA Today

21-04-2025

Pope Francis took one last ride in a Mercedes before death. History of the 'popemobile.' One of the first motorized popemobiles was a black Graham-Paige Type 837, gifted to Pope Pius XI in 1929. Since then, popemobiles have taken many different shapes and sizes.
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Pope Francis' last public appearance on Easter Sunday
Pope Francis appeared at the Vatican for Easter Sunday, making it his last public appearance before his death.
Amid thousands of Vatican guests on Easter Sunday, Pope Francis waved from inside his all-electric "popemobile," a vehicle that has carried the pontiff for nearly 100 years.
After his final public appearance, the 88-year-old, known as a reformer of the Catholic Church, died on Monday morning, April 21. For large portion of this year, Pope Francis resided at Rome's Gemelli University Hospital due to a litany of health issues, including bilateral pneumonia, before eventually succumbing to a stroke and irreversible heart failure.
Pope Francis isn't the first pontiff to ride inside the designated popemobile, a special vehicle that serves as both a form of security and elevated seat, manufactured over the years by brands like Mercedes-Benz, Fiat, Jeep and Cadillac. Here's what to know about the popemobile.
What is the popemobile?
The popemobile is a special vehicle used to transport the pope as he visits members of the public. The modern popemobile features an elevated seat that provides the pope with a more visibility.
The current popemobile is based on the Mercedes-Benz G-Class, an SUV. Where the popemobile differs from the traditional mode is the rear. Rather than a normal back seat and trunk, the popemobile features three rear seats, one more elevated and capable of swiveling in the center for the pontiff. Where the trunk hatch would typically be is a set of stairs to enter the back of the vehicle. For poor weather conditions and/or added protection, a top-mounted roof with a nearly 360-window view, can be added to the popemobile.
The newest popemobile, gifted to the Catholic Church in December 2024, is entirely electric.
Mercedes-Benz did not immediately respond for comment when contacted by USA TODAY about the latest popemobile on Monday.
Who has manufactured popemobiles?
Several manufacturers have produced popemobiles over the years.
One of the first motorized popemobiles was produced by the now-defunct Graham Paige. In 1929, the automobile manufacturer gifted a black Graham-Paige Type 837 to Pope Pius XI in celebration of the Holy See's conciliation with the Italian government.
In 1930, Mercedes-Benz presented Pope Pius XI with a black Nürburg 460 Pullman Saloon, according to Mercedes-Benz. The limousine did not feature an elevated seat like the current popemobile. Rather, the pontiff was more secured and protected from within a more traditional vehicle of the time.
It was in 1960 when the first convertible popemobile was introduced, a Mercedes-Benz 300D, Britannica states. This new type of vehicle allowed the pope to be more easily seen by the public.
In 1981, this open-air concept would prove nearly detrimental, as John Paul II was shot during an assassination attempt while riding in a Fiat 1007 Nuova Campagnola in St. Peter's Square. The pontiff survived, but the incident led the Catholic Church to reconsider how popemobiles were produced, most notably including bulletproof glass.
In 1998, Cadillac manufactured a special De Ville Parade Phaeton for the late Pope John Paul II during a trip to Mexico City, according to automobile magazine Sports Car Market. The white limousine convertible featured an elevated platform for the pontiff, wider doors than the original model and retractable back steps.
More recently, during a visit to Washington D.C. in 2015, Pope Francis scooted around in a black Fiat 500L. The pontiff specifically chose the vehicle for its humble price and size, USA TODAY previously reported. The car particularly stood out as the pope's security team rode around in large SUVs during his trip. A year later, the low-mileage vehicle would be purchased by a Philadelphia couple for $82,000, up from the vehicle's starting price that hovered around $20,000.
The same year, Pope Francis rode around Ecuador in a white Jeep Wrangler, featuring a front glass roof with open sides, allowing the pontiff to easily wave from all sides.
What did the pope ride in before the popemobile?
Perhaps the question should be − what did the pope ride on?
The first form of papal transport was the sedia gestatoria, a ceremonial throne used to carry the pope. According to Britannica, 12 attendants carried two long poles on either side of the elevated seat to carry the pontiff. The raised seat allowed for the pope to be seen more easily, and it provided an air of reverence. The sedia gestatoria was often upholstered in silk and velvet in colors of red and gold. The sedia gestatoria dates back to Pope Urban VI in 1378, Britannica states.
In 1800, Pope Pius VII used a new form of transportation: horse-drawn carriage. Pontiffs sat inside various luxurious carriages over the years, including the Grand Gala Berlin, which featured a red-velvet interior, gold inlay and plumes and the papal coat of arms stitched into the carriage's interior roof, according to Britannica. The last time a papal carriage was used was in 1870 by Pope Pius IX.
Contributing: Chris Woodyard, USA TODAY
Greta Cross is a national trending reporter at USA TODAY. Story idea? Email her at [e-mail].