Overview
- Jim Farley and his wife, Lia, presented the customized SUV to the pontiff during a private audience at the Vatican on February 28.
- Assembled at Ford’s Chicago Assembly Plant near the pope’s hometown of Dolton, the vehicle features Chicago flag seat tags, skyline stitching, engraved door sills, and vanity plates reading “LEO XIV” and “DA POPE.”
- The gift is a 2026 Explorer Platinum AWD with a 3.3‑liter V6 hybrid and 10‑speed hybrid transmission using the Police Interceptor powertrain configuration, plus EU‑spec radio hardware.
- Ford says the SUV will not replace the pope’s official Popemobile, and Farley said the pope took a brief drive and remarked on the personal touches.
- Plant workers built the vehicle under confidentiality and included mementos such as letters, a team photo, a recognition coin, and an Aurelio’s Pizza box; Business Insider reports the bespoke build was roughly a $500,000 project, an unconfirmed estimate.