(Vatican Radio) Friday afternoon Pope Benedict XVI received an early Christmas present,
two new Popemobiles. The Mercedes-Benz M-Class have been specially crafted and fitted
out with all the latest technology to allow the Pope to be close to the people he
meets during his apostolic journeys, in complete safety and comfort.
Pope
Benedict XVI will use the new Popemobile Saturday, on the occasion of the Solemnity
of the Immaculate Conception, during his traditional journey to the heart of Rome
to pay homage to the statue of the Virgin in Piazza di Spagna.
Vatican Radio's
Christine Seuss spoke to Thomas Zeeb, Managing Director of Mercedes-Benz Stuttgart,
Listen:
The
new Class M Popemobile includes top-of the range air conditioning and lighting, as
well as a communications system between the driver and the rear dome. The body of
the car is, as usual, mother of pearl white and a few centimeters lower than the previous
model, to allow easier air transport, which is essential in the many trips that the
Pope undertakes.
The design of the new Popemobile began a year ago and it
took a total of nine months to adapt the car to the needs of the Holy Father. The
concept and production were carried out by the Mercedes Benz engineers with the support
of external partners. The car runs on unleaded petrol, as with the previous models.
The
Popemobiles at the end of their road-life, are housed in the respective museums of
the Vatican City State and Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart.