Vatican Museums Display Eight Popemobiles Spanning 96 Years

The Vatican Museums opened a public exhibition on Thursday that displays eight Mercedes-Benz vehicles used by popes since 1930. The display, titled “A Century of the Popemobile,” marks the nearly 100-year history of the cars that allow pontiffs to interact with crowds during visits.

The oldest vehicle in the collection was a Nürburg 460 gifted to Pope Pius XI on May 23, 1930. According to Sandro Barbagallo, curator of the Historical Collections Department at the Vatican Museums, the car was specifically designed for papal use. Barbagallo noted that the vehicle featured a luxurious armchair upholstered in silk brocade along with fine wood and metal finishes.

“It was specifically built, designed, and prepared for papal use, so much so that just by comparing it, you can see how it transitions from the serial to the unique,” Barbagallo said. He added that subsequent models were engineered to ensure the pope could be seen while maintaining safety and comfort.

Pope Leo XIV, who was born in Chicago, met with Mercedes-Benz executives separately to acknowledge the company’s partnership with the Holy See. The pope stated that automotive advancements have mirrored the evolution of papal travel. “Over the decades, the popemobile has evolved from a means of transportation into an instrument of encounter, enabling the pontiff to draw closer to the faithful during pastoral visits and public celebrations,” he said.

The exhibition includes vehicles that reflect changing operational needs. A 1960 300 d Landaulet presented to Pope John XXIII featured removable rear side windows, allowing him to reach out to people along his route. A later model, the 1980 230 G created for St. John Paul II’s visit to Germany, introduced a tall, transparent rear dome to provide a clear view for large crowds.

Leo also referenced the electric popemobile provided to Pope Francis, a model aligned with the former pontiff’s ecological priorities. In his remarks to the executives, Leo urged them to apply technological innovation toward human dignity and the care of creation. “In this way, your work has helped facilitate the church’s mission of reaching out to people and bringing a message of faith, of hope and of charity to the world,” he concluded.