Popemobile has long history of bringing pontiff to the masses by Stefan Weissenborn,

Sep 21, 2011, 3:06 GMT

Stuttgart - The Popemobile, the special vehicle used by the pope for outdoor appearances, was designed to make the head of the Roman Catholic Church more visible to the masses.

Rumours are circulating that Pope Benedict XVI might make use of a hybrid or electric Mercedes vehicle for his visit to Germany at the end of this month, but Christian Anosowitsch from the Mercedes press department is refusing to comment.

Car makers that build special vehicles for prominent and famous people are very hesitant to reveal information. What is certain however, is that the Pope will again stick to a Mercedes. The last time he made use of a converted Mercedes ML at the World Youth Day in Madrid in July.

'Mercedes is more or less a permanent supplier to the Vatican,' according to Thomas Pospiech who has written a book on the Popemobile. The association began in 1930 when Mercedes gave Pope Pius XI a car that was extensively rebuilt but without any of the armoured safety features that are a must in such cars today.

The term Popemobile dates back to the 1980s during Pope John Paul's extensive travelling. John Paul II is believed to have been on the road more than any of his predecessors put together.

A real show car had to be built for public appearances and the first such vehicle was manufactured in the Pope's home country Poland by the company Star in Starakhovice on the platform of a four-wheel-drive truck in 1979, according to Pospiech.

A Mercedes 230 G was then used by John Paul during his Germany visit in 1980 with a dome made from plastic so that it could be taken off during good weather. It was however fitted with bulletproof glass on all sides after the attempted assassination in 1981.

A powerful air conditioning system was fitted to prevent foggy windows and spotlights could illuminate the Holy Father. A special suspension provided an extra comfortable ride.

In 2002 Mercedes gave the Pope an ML 430 with which he was also on the road in Madrid. A special gearbox is necessary for very slow and long trips. The cabin of the ML 430 is a sturdy construction with armour-plated glass. Like the predecessor models the exterior is a special white colour with white leather and gold-coloured trim. The V8 motor has an output of 200 kW/272 hp for an extra spurt if a dangerous situation should arise.