Not even the Mercedes boss can sit in the Pope’s seat: Vatican puts historic popemobiles on display

The Vatican Museums in Rome are currently showcasing an exhibit titled "A Century of the Popemobile," featuring eight historic vehicles from Mercedes-Benz and the Vatican's own collection. The exhibition, which opened on October 29, 2026, marks the long relationship between the German automaker and the Catholic Church, where popemobiles have been used by the head of the Church to meet the faithful, whether in St Peter's Square or during papal voyages around the world.

The display begins with the Nurburg 460, a black Pullman limo delivered to Pope Pius XI in 1930, which contrasted sharply with the white popemobiles used today. The limo features a plush seat upholstered in raspberry silk brocade. The exhibition concludes with the ML 500, a robust vehicle given to Pope Benedict XVI in 2012, with an enlarged back section allowing for optimal viewing for both the pope and the public.

According to Sandro Barbagallo, head of the museum's department of historical collections, the popemobile is not merely a means of transportation but serves to allow both the people and the pope to see and greet each other. Barbagallo also highlighted the role of modern technology in enhancing the pontiff's ministry, stating, "It is a modern technology placed at the service of the pontiff, at the service of his ministry."

The first modern popemobile, a 1980 Mercedes-Benz 230G for Pope John Paul II, featured a rear resembling an elevated throne with a transparent dome, adorned with mother of pearl paintwork and gold trim. Other vehicles on display include the 1960 300D Landaulet, with a plush beige mohair seat and removable side windows for Pope John XXIII, and the 1997 lungo Landaulet, equipped with an electrohydraulic soft top for Pope John Paul II.

While the exhibit covers 100 years of papal mobility, it does not include vehicles produced by competitors of Mercedes-Benz, such as Fiat, Renault, Volkswagen, and even Ferrari. The exhibition "A Century of the Popemobile" will be accessible to the public starting on October 29, 2026. Mercedes-Benz Heritage CEO Marcus Breitschwendt revealed the company's strict rule that even its CEO is forbidden to sit in the pope's seat, emphasizing the reverence for the historic vehicles.