Pope Benedict XVI to get New Wheels?

Papal Rides are Big Product Placement Opportunities

What does a man who's in charge of more than a billion people across the world drive? The answer is, whatever he can get his

Popes have traveled across lands both near and far in vehicles either donated by companies or commissioned for special visits. (Photo: Mercedes-Benz Canada)

hands on! During the past century, Popes have traveled across lands both near and far in vehicles either donated by companies or built by commission for special visits. If it weren't for the fact that Popes are chauffeured, they might very well have the broadest and widest portfolio of vehicles ever driven. Ranging from world-class to local-built, for a manufacturer to build a Popemobile is to ascend into the highest holy order of the motoring world.

The freshly elected German Pope Benedict XVI, successor to his holiness Pope John Paul II, is already in the hot-seat at the Vatican, keeping all running as smoothly as a finely-crafted Swiss pocket watch. While picking out a motor vehicle might seem trivial at this

The freshly elected German Pope Benedict XVI's first official Popemobile will come from Volkswagen. (Photo: Artist's Rendering)

early stage, rumour has it that one's already been selected and is currently under construction for the new Pope.

As we've come to learn (mind you, not by divine right), his holiness' first official Popemobile will come from Volkswagen. Expected to make its debut this August at the 2005 World Youth Days in Cologne, Germany, this will be a unique, one-off converted Touareg, customized and built especially for the Pope's visit. Interestingly, this news has a slight German cultural twist to it - a German SUV, a German event, and of course, the German Pope. A carefully coordinated match-up, or a coincidence? Heaven only knows.