“The ‘Glass Sardine Can’ Blocks Me Off From People” : Pope Francis Initially Ditched Glass-sided Popemobile

Pope Francis decided to stop using the armored, glass-sided Popemobile initially, as he felt it created a barrier between him and the people. Instead, he opted for simpler vehicles like the Fiat 500L and Toyota Innova Zenix Minivan. However, due to increased security concerns globally, he returned to using his traditional Popemobile in 2019.

In December 2024, Mercedes-Benz introduced the first electric “Popemobile” for the 88-year-old pontiff. Throughout his 13-year tenure, Pope Francis, also known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio, expressed his reluctance to use the iconic Popemobile due to feeling isolated by its glass walls, despite potential risks. He mentioned in an interview with Barcelona newspaper La Vanguardia that, at his age, he doesn’t have much to lose and leaves his safety in God’s hands.

Although he previously favored simpler vehicles like the Renault 4 and Toyota Innova Zenix Minivan, Pope Francis ultimately returned to the familiar armored Popemobile for security reasons. The Mercedes-Benz G-Class-based Popemobile was gifted to him by his predecessor and has been his mode of transport since 2019.