A new exhibition at the Vatican Museums highlights a century of vehicles used by the popes, showcasing the evolving design and technology behind the so-called “popemobile.” The display, titled “A Century of the Popemobile,” opened to the public on October 29, 2026, and features eight models supplied by German automaker Mercedes-Benz, reflecting the longstanding relationship between the Stuttgart-based company and the Holy See.

The exhibit, housed in a temporary pavilion within the Vatican’s Square Garden, offers visitors a look at the transformation of papal transportation over the past 100 years. The earliest model on display is a 1930 Nurburgring 460 Pullman limousine, which was delivered to Pope Pius XI. The vehicle’s black exterior contrasts with its luxurious interior, which includes a papal seat upholstered in raspberry silk brocade. This historic automobile marks the beginning of the papacy’s move toward using motor vehicles to connect with the public.

At the other end of the spectrum is a 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML 500, designed for Pope Benedict XVI. This later model features an enlarged, enclosed rear section, intended to optimize visibility for the pope and allow him to be seen by the crowds during public appearances and processions. Sandro Barbagallo, head of the Vatican Museums’ historical collections department, explained that the popemobile’s purpose is twofold: to enable the pope to see and greet those assembled, and simultaneously to allow the faithful to see and interact with the pontiff. “It serves so that people can greet the pope, but also and above all so that the pope can, along the roads, greet and at the same time bless,” Barbagallo said.

He also emphasized that these vehicles represent modern technology serving the spiritual and pastoral mission of the papacy. The display highlights how advances in automobile engineering have enhanced the pope’s mobility and the ability to maintain close contact with followers, whether in St. Peter’s Square or on international journeys.

While the exhibit focuses exclusively on Mercedes-Benz models, it does not encompass the various other vehicles from competing manufacturers that have been gifted to different popes over the years. This exclusive focus underscores the specific historical partnership between Mercedes-Benz and the Vatican but limits the scope of the display in narrating the full history of papal transportation.

The exhibition offers a unique perspective on how the papacy has embraced technological innovation as a means of fostering engagement with the global Catholic community throughout the 20th and early 21st centuries.