Mercedes-Benz Shows Off Its Holy Stature In New Popemobile Exhibition At The Vatican

Is Mercedes-Benz the most holy of all automotive brands? While the Stuttgart titan won't go quite so far as to say that out loud, it will go so far as to sponsor an exhibition of its Popemobiles at the Vatican. "A Century of the Popemobile" will run from October 28, 2026 through January 31, 2027, displaying a variety of motorized papal rides, from the first car a pope used regularly right up to the modern day. In fact, it will go beyond that, since the exhibition will be bookended by an 1886 Benz Patent-Motorwagen (the first real production car) and a present-day Mercedes S-Class. In other words, this is both a celebration of the custom vehicles made for one of the world's most important religious leaders and an advertisement for a car brand planted right next to St. Peter's Basilica.

"A Century of the Popemobile" will feature eight papal cars, not all of which are, strictly speaking, Popemobiles, plus the two bookend cars. According to Sandro Barbagallo, curator of the historical collections of the Vatican Museums, this is all part of a thematic connection between the vehicles and the papacy: "It all begins with a journey: that of Peter, the fisherman from Galilee who came to Rome to proclaim a message destined to span the centuries and continents." I'm not positive that Peter drove there in an S-Class, but that sure is an analogy. 

Taking it up another notch, Marc Langenbrinck, president of Mercedes-Benz Italia, said in the announcement from the Vatican, "We also hope, in a spirit of Christian humility, to inspire you to reflect on the profound meaning of the journey that began with Peter nearly two thousand years ago and is carried forward today by Pope Leo XIV." In this same spirit, please buy a Mercedes.

The Vatican Museums haven't revealed a full list of what will be on display, but the eight rides will include at least a:

• 1930 Mercedes-Benz Nürburg 460
• 1960 Mercedes-Benz 300 d Pullman Landaulet
• 1965 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet
• 1967 Mercedes-Benz 300 SEL Pullman Limousine
• 1980 Mercedes-Benz 230 G (the first Popemobile)

That Nürburg 460 represents the first car a pope (in this case Pius XI) used as an official vehicle, a direct gift from Mercedes in 1930. That actually wasn't the first attempt at giving a pope horsepower: in 1909, Archbishop John M. Farley of New York tried to give Pope Pius X an Itala. "Tried," since the pope refused it! Apparently he liked horse-drawn carriages better.

While everything on display will be a car that a pope officially used, the modern idea of a Popemobile with its signature transparent dome didn't emerge until 1980 with John Paul II's 230 G. That will be at the exhibition, which is pretty exciting. Prior to this innovation, the pope just rode around in the back seat, looking out the window. The current Popemobile is a Mercedes G580 EV, which Francis took one final ride in the day before he died. Today, you could spot Leo XIV riding around in it if you're at the Vatican.

If you are indeed in the Catholic capital, you can find the exhibition in the Square Garden. The price is included in the museums' admission fee, 20 euros (about $22); you can book through the Vatican Museums Official Ticket Office. For what it's worth, the Vatican Museums also contain the Carriage Pavilion, a standing exhibit featuring dozens of papal wheels including both carriages and cars, located right underneath the Square Garden.