Pope Leo XIV has added an unlikely new vehicle to Vatican City: a custom 2026 Ford Explorer Hybrid tailored to his tastes and his ministry. The gift, built in Chicago and delivered personally by Ford leadership, reflects both his American roots and his preference for practical, people-focused transport over traditional spectacle.
Instead of a classic Popemobile, the Vatican now has a modern hybrid SUV configured for quiet work behind the walls of the Apostolic Palace and for short journeys across Rome.
The Chicago-born pope and his new hybrid
The recipient of the custom Explorer is Pope Leo XIV, the former American Cardinal Robert Prevost, who emerged from conclave as the new pontiff after seclusion in the Vatican and chose the name Leo XIV.
Biographical records describe Pope Leo XIV as a veteran Augustinian, previously Prior Provincial of Our Mother of Good Counsel and later Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine, a background that helps explain his reputation for simplicity and pastoral closeness.
That history matters in understanding why an SUV, rather than a high ceremonial limousine, now sits in the Vatican garage.
A Ford Explorer built for Vatican duty
The vehicle itself is a 2026 Ford Explorer Platinum AWD hybrid, configured with a 3.3L V6 hybrid powertrain and a 10-speed hybrid transmission for efficient, low-emission operation on the short routes the pope travels inside Vatican City and across Rome.
Ford engineers created a one-off specification for what internal communications describe as the Explorer, including an antenna compatible with Vatican communication systems and additional comfort features for a head of state who spends long days in meetings and liturgies.
Reporting on the project notes that the platform is capable of a 136 mph top speed, although those performance figures for the Ford Explorer Platinum AWD are mostly theoretical in a city state where the pontiff rarely exceeds walking pace in public processions.
One automotive analysis stressed that the new Ford for the pope is not exactly a Popemobile, since the 2026 Ford Explorer Platinum lacks the elevated glass enclosure associated with public papal appearances and instead resembles a well-appointed, discreet family SUV.
Chicago roots, Chicago build
The choice of factory and design details ties the vehicle closely to the pope’s personal story.
Ford assembled the SUV at its historic Chicago Assembly Plant, then added exterior and interior touches that reference the city where Robert Prevost grew up, including custom badging and license plate tags that feature the Chicago flag, according to company material.
Coverage of the handover highlights that Ford CEO Jim Farley and his wife, Lia, personally presented the Chicago-themed Explorer to the pope, underscoring both corporate pride in the plant and the symbolic link between the city and the new pontiff.
Workers involved in the project have described a sense of honor in building a vehicle that might carry the leader of the Catholic Church, with one account quoting employees who said that knowing something they built with their own hands could be driven by someone like the pope made them proud of their craft.
How the pope intends to use it
The Vatican already maintains a fleet of vehicles for different settings, from open-air platforms for large public Masses to compact cars for daily errands.
According to broadcast reporting that followed the gift, the car is intended primarily for use inside Vatican grounds and for short trips around Vatican City, rather than as the main public Popemobile.
One national outlet that covered the presentation noted that the pope has driven himself on occasion and enjoys a sporty ride, although the new Explorer will typically be chauffeur-driven because of security protocols.
The hybrid powertrain aligns with the environmental priorities that have shaped Vatican policy since the pontificates of John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis, and that Pope Leo XIV has signaled he intends to continue.
A corporate gift with spiritual framing
The gesture from Ford is not only a branding opportunity but also a moment that both sides have framed in moral language.
The CEO of Ford Motor Co. gifted Pope Leo XIV a custom-made 2026 Ford Explorer Platinum hybrid embellished with small tributes to both Chicago and the Vatican.
— ACI Africa (@aciafricanews) March 12, 2026
“Pope Leo XIV has deep roots on Chicago’s South Side — just like Ford,” Jim Farley, CEO of Ford, said in a statement…
In remarks shared through company channels, Ford representatives spoke of serving the ministry entrusted to the pope, while employees at the Chicago plant described the project as a way to connect their daily work with a global spiritual mission.
One regional automotive group summarized the initiative under the phrase Ford Gifts Explorer, emphasizing that the SUV was built in Chicago with local roots and customized with features that reflect the pope’s background.
Television coverage through NBC affiliates described how Ford CEO Jim Farley and his wife recently gifted the custom Ford Explorer to Pope Leo XIV and highlighted comments from plant workers who said that if anyone deserved something special from their line, it would be the pope.
What it signals about Leo XIV
The choice to accept and use a mainstream SUV rather than a more ostentatious limousine fits the emerging public image of Leo XIV.
Commentary on his first year as pope has portrayed him as a relatable figure, in the line of Francis, who prefers simple surroundings and direct contact with ordinary people, an assessment echoed in essays that describe Pope Leo XIV as a worthy successor to Pope Francis.
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