Pope Leo XIV officially began his papacy after an inauguration mass, taking over from the late Pope Francis in 2025.
The American-born pope, who was elected on May 8, 2025, has a monumental job ahead of him as leader of the Catholic church and one of the most famous public figures alive.
Despite there being a lot to learn as we get to know the new Pope, his new ride is one pretty trick piece of engineering.
While the new Popemobile may spend its entire life at walking pace, it could actually rip if it were given the chance to breathe.
The new Popemobile is a modified Mercedes-Benz G580, or G-Wagen as it is commonly known.
Starting life as a standard G580, the Mercedes-Benz uses traditional coachbuilding techniques but with the support of in-house modification and modern technology to provide one of the most unique, factory-built Mercedes-Benz cars ever.
The front half of the car remains standard, but the roof gets chopped off at the B-pillar and modified downwards into a sweeping, ute-like tail. In place of the factory roof, a removable hardtop can be added in case of bad weather, but for the most part, the Pope will be sitting in a completely wide open tray.
It features what looks like styling cues stolen from the yacht world – a red floor is placed in the back, matched with a pilot's chair for the Pope and two rear seats for the cardinals. Railings on the side complete this custom car from the factory.
Like the previous Popemobiles, the G580 is painted in classic pearl white, matched with an all-white interior (minus the red rear floor).
Mercedes-Benz has been supplying the pope with transport for 94 years, 45 of which have been members of the G-Class family, but this year it is introducing an all-electric powertrain for the holy leader.
This is where the Popemobile starts to spice things up. As we mentioned, the G580 probably won’t go over walking pace more than a handful of times in its life, but the vehicle is easily capable of a 12.6-second quarter-mile time and can go 0–100km/h in just 4.7 seconds.
That’s thanks to its four-motor design paired with a 124kWh battery, which allows the SUV to output a whopping 432kW/1164Nm. Despite its power from the factory, the electric powertrain in the Popemobile was remapped to allow for smooth, low-speed driving.
Mercedes-Benz has coined this the “G-Turn”, but it could seriously revolutionise the Pope’s parades. While his pilot chair in the back can swivel 360 degrees, by pressing a button, the Pope can see the entire parade without moving his neck. Perhaps they should rename it the 'P-Turn'?
The Popemobile itself is completely priceless, but you can pick up a standard G580 starting from $249,900 (plus on-road costs) in Australia.
Zane Dobie comes from a background of motorcycle journalism, working for notable titles such as Australian Motorcycle News Magazine, Just Bikes and BikeReview. Despite his fresh age, Zane brings a lifetime of racing and hands-on experience. His passion now resides on four wheels as an avid car collector, restorer, drift car pilot and weekend go-kart racer.
