“He noticed and appreciated all the personal touches,” Ford’s CEO said. “We even took a quick drive, and I can confirm the Holy Father enjoys driving a sporty ride.
WASHINGTON — Pope Leo XIV has a new ride and it has Chicago written all over it.
Ford secretly built and delivered a custom-made Explorer to Pope Leo, decked out with Chicago-to-Vatican pride.
Dozens of employees at Ford’s Chicago plant built a custom, one-of-a-kind Ford Explorer Platinum hybrid, its highest trim level, for a VIP customer. The vehicle was gifted to the pope and paid for by Ford CEO Jim Farley and his wife Lia, who presented the new car to the pontiff at the end of February.
“He noticed and appreciated all the personal touches,” Farley said of the Pontiff’s reaction. “We even took a quick drive, and I can confirm the Holy Father enjoys driving a sporty ride.”
The car, which the pope will use to cross the Vatican grounds, has ties to Vatican City but also fuses elements of Pope Leo’s roots. The car was assembled just five miles away from where the pope grew up in the suburb of Dolton. The customized Explorer has a 3.3L V6 hybrid powertrain and a 10-speed hybrid transmission, according to the press release from Ford.
The Chicago flag is stitched onto the side of the seats and the Windy City’s skyline is etched on the center console, a reminder of the pope’s hometown. The scuff plates include engravings of the Chicago skyline and St. Peter’s Basilica, a reminder of the Popes journey to the Vatican, according to Ford.
Vanity license plates for the car read “DA POPE” and “LEO XIV.”
Along with the custom-built car, Farley brought a photo of the Chicago Assembly plant team and handwritten letters from those who worked on the car. The Ford CEO brought back several Pope-blessed rosaries to the staff.
Pope Leo’s new custom Ford Explorer: See photos
