Pope Leo XIV has received a specially made Ford Explorer, delivered right to the Vatican by the Blue Oval’s CEO Jim Farley. This is a rather sentimental build for the Pope, as not only does it feature Chicago-themed touches, but the vehicle itself was built at Ford’s assembly plant in Chicago.
His Holiness, of course, was born and raised in Chicago—specifically in the suburb of Dolton. That particular neighborhood is around 8km away from Ford’s facility, making this gift a total hometown effort.
And this Explorer is covered in Chicago pride. The city’s four-star flag is tagged on the seats, while its skyline is stitched on top of the center console. The same skyline was also etched onto the car’s stepboard, along with a silhouette of Saint Peter’s Basilica on the other end.
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Ford also supplied this SUV with two special vanity plates—spelling out, ‘DA POPE,’ and ‘LEO XIV.’ According to Ford, Pope Leo plans to use his new ride to travel around the Vatican. Upon receiving the car, he took it for a quick spin, after which Farley confirmed that “the Holy Father enjoys driving a sporty ride.”
This particular Explorer is a platinum hybrid variant, with captain seats in the second row and a 3.3-liter V6 under the hood. The powertrain is then mated to a 10-speed hybrid transmission.
While popes are usually seen cruising around in a more traditional-looking ‘Popemobile,’ it looks like Leo XIV will have a different type of ride in his garage. Could you imagine seeing Pope Leo behind the wheel of a big and burly SUV? What a sight that would be.
More photos of Pope Leo XIV’s Ford Explorer:
