A Ram 1500 was Pope Francis' surprising final ride
The late Pope Francis was unassuming and eschewed many of the trappings of his position, so it seems appropriate his coffin was transported in a superseded single-cab pickup truck.
Footage of his funeral procession in Rome, shared by outlets such as ABC, revealed the pontiff's final ride was a DS-series Ram 1500, finished in white and featuring a platform upon which sat his coffin.
This was used instead of the other vehicles that belong to the Vatican, including the modified G580 with EQ Technology that Mercedes-Benz gave it last year.
As Tork reports, the Ram 1500 was gifted by Mexico to the Vatican in 2016.
Pope Francis had toured Mexico in the pickup that year, and after being transported to the Vatican it was subsequently used for internal transport as well as load-hauling.
There's a Latin American connection to all of this. The pontiff, who passed away on April 21, was born in Argentina, while the Ram 1500 has for decades been produced not only in the US but also in Mexico.
It's unclear if this specific example was produced in Mexico.
The Ram 1500 wasn't the late pontiff's only ute-based Popemobile, as he previously toured Mauritius in a Nissan NP300 Hardbody (better known here as the Navara) and in the Philippines and throughout Europe in an Isuzu D-Max.
The Ram also wasn't the pontiff's only vehicle from an auto brand now under the Stellantis umbrella.
On his first trip as Pope to the US, he was driven around in a Fiat 500L – in a reversal of his funeral procession, where it was an American vehicle being driven in Italy.
Pope Francis was also known to use various mass-market vehicles for transport, including a second-generation Ford Focus.
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7NEWS
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- 7NEWS
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I mean, if Nissan can charge that for a (loveable) dinosaur like the Patrol, this model could easily command that kind of cash, right? For context, the LandCruiser 300 Series starts at $97,990 plus on-roads for a model with vinyl flooring and cloth seat trim, while Nissan kicks off pricing for its 15-year-old Patrol at a tick over $90k plus on-roads. Meanwhile, a Defender 130 – which this car will theoretically compete against, too – starts from just under $130,000 plus on-roads. There's no confirmed standard spec yet, but the Bao 8 comes with good stuff like height-adjustable air suspension, pop-out side steps, and the choice of six- or seven-seat configurations in China. What is the BYD Denza B8 like on the inside? The B8 feels luxurious and capable inside – that was my first impression, at least. With a lovely two-tone finish in the model I drove, the B8 gave off 'Defender, but nicer' vibes, and the cabin tech is next-level. 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But it may even go beyond that with a longer warranty program to match parent company BYD. If it were to do that, there'd be a six-year/150,000km warranty for the vehicle, and an eight-year warranty for the battery pack. Servicing details are yet to be determined, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Denza offer something similar to Genesis with a five-year free service program to entice buyers into the brand. CarExpert's Take on the BYD Denza B8 My first impressions of the Denza B8 are more than positive. They're exceptionally high. With the right price, dealer network and backing, this could be a serious player in the family-friendly extra-large off-roader space, while offering a completely different experience to a LandCruiser or Patrol. I can't wait to see how it is positioned here. It could be a monumental moment for the broader BYD business in Australia. Pros Great interior Loaded with tech and spec Three rows of spacious seating Cons It's enormous It's extremely heavy It might be pretty pricey...
Perth Now
11 hours ago
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2025 BYD Denza B8 review: Quick drive
The Fangchengbao Formula Leopard Bao 8 is a huge three-row SUV with 4WD underpinnings and a high-tech plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert In Australia, this model is expected to be marketed under BYD's luxury offshoot Denza, and branded with the B8 badge. So, not the Fangchengbao Bao 8, but the Denza B8. This large three-row SUV is set to go up against the Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and Nissan Patrol, among other big-name off-road options like the Defender 130 – and it'll likely offer more luxury for less what's it like? We had a quick steer in China to find out. Pricing for the Denza B8 is yet to be announced, but it is priced between 379,800 and 407,800 yuan in China, which is approximately A$81,500-A$87,500. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert There is no guarantee that it'll be that price when it gets here, however. In fact, there's a strong chance this high-tech hybrid high-rider will come in over the six-figure mark. I mean, if Nissan can charge that for a (loveable) dinosaur like the Patrol, this model could easily command that kind of cash, right? For context, the LandCruiser 300 Series starts at $97,990 plus on-roads for a model with vinyl flooring and cloth seat trim, while Nissan kicks off pricing for its 15-year-old Patrol at a tick over $90k plus on-roads. Meanwhile, a Defender 130 – which this car will theoretically compete against, too – starts from just under $130,000 plus on-roads. There's no confirmed standard spec yet, but the Bao 8 comes with good stuff like height-adjustable air suspension, pop-out side steps, and the choice of six- or seven-seat configurations in China. The B8 feels luxurious and capable inside – that was my first impression, at least. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert With a lovely two-tone finish in the model I drove, the B8 gave off 'Defender, but nicer' vibes, and the cabin tech is next-level. The driver gets a configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster with some critical data on show, like tyre pressure monitoring, remaining battery and fuel range, speed and media settings, as well as temperature, vehicle height, altitude and more. Across from it is a massive 17.3-inch multimedia touchscreen with a whole host of stuff, including a connected sat-nav system, smartphone mirroring, media controls, and car controls such as boot opening and locking. There is also an illustrated car icon that you can adjust settings with, and even make interior changes by tapping away at the controls. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert The screen wasn't set to English, but I managed to figure out some of the system's depth, and it has a lot going on there. On screen there is also a display for the different on- and off-road drive modes, including data for the car's height when you're adjusting the suspension, and the pitch and yaw angles so you can see the attitude of the stuff you're attempting. There aren't physical controls for fan speed and temperature, but a home bar at the bottom of the screen allows constant easy access, and there are fragrance and seat adjustment controls as part of the submenu setup too. And there's an on-screen control for the fridge temperature, or you can use the dial in front of it in the centre console. All the materials feel high-quality and the fit and finish of the test vehicle I drove was impeccable. Seat comfort is superb, with great bolstering and adjustability, and the creature comforts of heating, ventilation, memory settings and electric adjustment are all catered for. I love the fact it comes with Touareg/Cayenne-style double sun-visors, too. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert Storage includes cupholders, a lower tray area for loose items, wireless phone charging pads and big bottle holders. Second-row space is perhaps not as good as you might think for a car of this size, but that's with the seats set to their forward-most position. Electronically slide the second row back a bit and even six-foot-plus adults will be able to fit in behind similarly sized drivers. There is electric recline adjust for the second row too, meaning you can really get comfy in the back, and there's heaps of headroom too. You'll fit three adults across the back if you need to. There's a few grab-handle options in the back for off-road adventures, plus good lighting, and the window seats have heating and cooling as well. There are directional vents overhead, with a climate control panel on the back of the centre console area, as well as a flip-down armrest with cupholders. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert Third-row access is electric, with a button on the kerb side that will slide the smaller portion of the 60:40-split rear bench forwards, and it adjusts the front seat forward if no occupant is present, to allow access into the very back. The biggest issue is that it's a bit slow, and if you're a parent you'll know that every second counts when you're trying to load in the kids. But once in the back, and with the seat returned to its rear-most position, I still had a surprisingly good amount of 182cm/6'0', there was still a couple of centimetres between my knees and the seatback, while toe room was good, and headroom was cavernous too. The packaging is brilliant, and there are overhead vents, grab handles, USB-C ports and cupholders, and the rearmost seats recline too. But while the comfort and space of the third row is very good, there is a possible issue – no child-seat anchor points or ISOFIX in the back row. That could be an issue for bigger families. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert Open the side-swinging tailgate and you have a sizeable cargo area. You can adjust the car's height up or down using adjustment toggles on the wheel-arch, which raise or lower the vehicle on its air suspension. Handy considering it otherwise has a high load-in height. The third-row seats are electrically deployable as well. With them in place, there is a backpack- or golfbag-friendly level of luggage space, with a small storage compartment underneath. Lower them down using the toggle switches (it is a bit slow!), and there is a claimed 1130 litres of cargo capacity behind the middle-row seats – easily enough for a family of five's luggage for a school holiday road trip. There are cargo hooks and power options in the back, as well. This is a higher-output powertrain than in the smaller Fangchengbao Bao 5 (Denza B5), and it punches pretty hard! 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert There's a 2.0-litre petrol engine teamed to a pair of electric motors (one front, one rear), which can all work together to offer four-wheel drive and a mass of grunt. In some markets there is a possibility the brand will add a cheaper, (slightly) less powerful 1.5L DMO hybrid system with a smaller-capacity battery. It's understood, though, that Australia will likely score the headline-grabbing, high-output, big-battery version first. It needs the extra grunt compared to the B5, because the B8 is a hefty beast at 3305kg (kerb). Full details on towing specs and local weights and capacities are still to be determined. My Denza B8 experience in Shenzen, China, wasn't a typical test drive. There was some time spent off-road, and some time on-road – if you can call a spin in a carpark with witches hats a 'drive'. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert But after about 20 minutes on the tame, unsealed obstacle course (an ATV trail at a resort), I can attest that it feels like it has all the tools to offer a very different experience in the rough stuff than the big-name options in the market. The DMO Super Hybrid platform from BYD underpins the B8, which features a body-on-frame construction with double-wishbone suspension and DiSus-P air springs, which are height adjustable up to a maximum of 310mm. When it's at that height it has the typical 'tip-toe' feel, communicating the changes in the surface to the occupants of the car very clearly, but in the tough stuff you really wanna know what's happening at the tyre tread. And – amazingly – it handled the obstacles of this track while fitted with Michelin Pilot Sport EV rubber (275/50 R21). 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert That tyre might be better suited to on-road driving (we'll get to that in a sec), but it held its own over a series of unsealed situations including a couple of moguls, some tight turnarounds, a 23-degree descent, and a mix of surfaces to contend with. This was hardly an epic outback off-road experience, but it made me feel confident that the car has the gear it needs to get it done, and there's a whole host of off-road driving modes, including Snow, Mud, Sand, Wading, Mountain, Burst, Sport+, and more. There's a low-speed, low-range 4WD mode, and three automatic differential locks (rear, centre, front), which we didn't need. Not even close. But as promising as the B8 felt like it could be for dirty driving, the on-road experience really showed the depth of its abilities. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert Admittedly, a series of cones in a slalom pattern, some turnaround exercises, and a series of bump strips on a perfect carpark surface is hardly the same as piloting a 3.3-tonne SUV down Parramatta Road, but this thing felt very promising in its driving manners. In Sport+ mode the acceleration is astounding for such a big chunk of metal, with the electric motors doing the majority of the work before the engine kicked in to assist above about 70km/h. It would have kept going, had there been enough carpark, but instead I had to pitch it to a halt, which it did faster than I expected, and with far less drama than the B5 on its passive suspension. The airbag suspension system in this vehicle seems to be brilliant, offering a smooth ride character and better body control than you'd expect of a car that weighs half-a-tonne more than a Patrol. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert The steering also offered a decent level of predictability for a ladder-frame SUV, too. There's obviously a lot more to find out about this vehicle, and I would love to experience it beyond the confines of a Chinese 'drive' program. As stated, there is a lot to learn about what the Denza B8 spec list will look like if it comes to Australia, but this model is extremely well specified in its home market of China. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert 2025 BYD Denza B8 equipment highlights: LED lighting 21-inch alloy wheels Genuine leather upholstery Heated and ventilated front seats Heated and ventilated second-row seats Electric seat adjustment 17.3-inch central touchscreen with DiLink system connected services 12.3-inch LCD instrument cluster 12.3-inch passenger touchscreen 50-inch head-up display with augmented reality 18-speaker Devialet sound system Wireless charging Panoramic sunroof Ambient lighting USB Type-C ports through the cabin Climate control air-con Fragrance system Console refrigerator (-6C to +6C) Mobile phone car key functionality The B8 hasn't got a relevant independent rating as yet, but it comes equipped with a host of tech that should help it hit high marks for safety tech. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert These include BYD's 'God's Eye' array of cameras (12), ultrasonic radars (12), millimetre-wave radars (3) and a LiDAR sensor, all of which is computed by Huawei's Qiankun ADS 3.0 software. As such, it has full-speed adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree surround-view camera with centimetre-perfect parking sensor precision, and a high level of autonomy. In China, this model can use Navigate on Autopilot (NOA) to follow a route programmed into the sat-nav system. It also has automated parking. In China, the standard safety gear comprises: 7 airbags AEB Rollover stability control Collision Detection Blind Spot Warning EBD/CBC EBA/BA Lane Departure Warning Lane Keeping Assist Front and rear parking sensors Auto parking with auto braking Surround-view camera Denza is expected to meet the market when it comes to warranty, offering at least five years/unlimited-km of cover. But it may even go beyond that with a longer warranty program to match parent company BYD. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert If it were to do that, there'd be a six-year/150,000km warranty for the vehicle, and an eight-year warranty for the battery pack. Servicing details are yet to be determined, but it wouldn't be surprising to see Denza offer something similar to Genesis with a five-year free service program to entice buyers into the brand. My first impressions of the Denza B8 are more than positive. They're exceptionally high. 2025 BYD Denza B8: Quick drive Credit: CarExpert With the right price, dealer network and backing, this could be a serious player in the family-friendly extra-large off-roader space, while offering a completely different experience to a LandCruiser or Patrol. I can't wait to see how it is positioned here. It could be a monumental moment for the broader BYD business in Australia. MORE: Everything BYD Great interior Loaded with tech and spec Three rows of spacious seating It's enormous It's extremely heavy It might be pretty pricey...
Canberra Times
2 days ago
- Canberra Times
Ford Mustang FX shows the 1990s are far enough away to be retro now
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