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The Pope has a new ride. From now on, Pope Benedict XVI will present himself to the 40,000 pilgrims in St Peter's Square in a white, open-top Mercedes-Benz G-class during his public audiences on Wednesdays.
The new Popemobile was created over a two-year development period in consultation with the Vatican, and has now been personally handed over to the Holy Father.
The open official car, which the head of the Catholic Church requested for use during fine weather, was developed by Mercedes-Benz on the basis of the G 500.
It is equipped with a folding windscreen and hand-rails, and like its predecessors it is painted in the Vatican "mystic white" finish. The interior is also white, and is accessed via steps lined in red at the rear.
Pope Pius XI was the first to receive a Mercedes-Benz as an official car in 1930 - a Nurburg 460 Pullman limousine.
Over the following decades Mercedes-Benz has regularly provided the Vatican with automobiles that have been specially converted.
The Vatican fleet includes M and S-class models with special protection.
