Pope Francis gets the keys to the latest Popemobile, a converted, Alabama-built Mercedes M-Class

The head of Mercedes-Benz Cars had a private
meeting this week with Pope Francis at the Vatican
to hand over the keys to the latest Popemobile, which
was converted from an M-Class produced at the
German automaker's Alabama plant.
Dieter Zetsche, who also is chairman of the Board of
Management for Mercedes parent Daimler AG, met
with Pope Francis in the Domus Santa Marta, the
guest house of the Vatican and the Pope's current
residence, the company said.
Pope Francis will use the vehicle during his first
official trip to Brazil at the end of this month.
The Popemobile is the same one that Zetsche
delivered to Pope Francis' predecessor, Pope
Benedict XVI in December. Pope Francis
assumed his role in March.
The hand-over was mainly a symbolic gesture
underscoring that the new pope also trusts in the
automaker's cars, said Mareike Jahnle, a Daimler
spokesperson. The only change was the coat of arms
that is embroidered on the throne in the dome of the
car.
"We are delighted that His Holiness Pope Francis has
decided to trust in the safety and comfort of our
vehicles and that, by providing the Popemobile, we
will continue to accompany him on his travels in the
future," Zetsche said in a statement provided by
Daimler. "This tradition is a huge source of pride to
us."
The M-Class was produced at the Tuscaloosa County
factory and converted into the Popemobile at the
company's Sindelfingen plant in Germany. Painted
diamond white and featuring the latest technology
from the current M-Class, it replaces a similar one in
use since 2002.
The Alabama plant also supplied the M-Class that
was the base for the 2002 Popemobile. Mercedes has
been providing vehicles to popes for more than 80
years.
The pope uses the vehicle for public appearances at
home and abroad, allowing him to get close to the
public while still maintaining a level of security.
During this week's meeting at the Vatican, Pope
Francis and Zetsche also discussed Daimler's plans
for sustainable and safer transportation and the
company's charitable contributions.