Pickup Truck Popemobiles Headline Pope Leo XIV's South American Visit
The pope left his electric G Wagen in the Vatican, and traveled South America in a trio of custom trucks
The world has seen more Popemobiles than Popes, but some examples are cooler than others, including the Mercedes G-Class EV. During Pope Leo XIV's recent trip to South America, three automakers and local coachbuilders transformed midsize pickups into open-air ceremonial vehicles. The Pontiff sat on the rear bed of the Toyota Hilux, the Chevrolet S10, and the Fiat Titano. However, the Toyota was the most interesting of the three, with local reports suggesting it is an old chassis wearing the design of the new model.
But let's take it from the start. Toyota Argentina officially presented the Popemobile as a preview of the ninth-generation Hilux. The latest iteration of the popular workhorse debuted globally in November 2025 and is already on sale in Europe, Australia, and South Africa. However, Argentina will get it soon, with local production taking place at the Zárate assembly plant.
Toyota
Toyota confirmed that the two donor vehicles for the Popemobiles were manufactured in Argentina. While these could be pre-production prototypes, Motor1 Brazil reports that the project was approved before the end of the summer suggesting that the starting point was the older eight-generation Hilux.
In any case, coachbuilder Vallé Equipamientos did a great job integrating the exterior and interior design of the ninth-generation model alongside the Popemobile-specific modifications. Of course, the fact that the new Hilux retains the hardpoints, greenhouse, pillars, doors, and basic structure of its predecessor helped a lot.
From workhorse to ceremonial vehicle
Besides retrofitting the redesigned nose, fender, lights, and interior to the donor vehicle, the coachbuilder applied a number of Pope-specific upgrades "according to the requirements established by the Vatican." The highlight is the illuminated polycarbonate dome covering what used to be the cargo area of the single-cab pickup and increasing its total height to 122 in (3.1 m).
The rear bed gained a comfy throne, which is upholstered in white eco leather, flanked by two side-facing foldable seats at the back. Access to the rear deck is made possible by custom steps and a cutout on the tailgate. The truck is painted white, with matching cladding all around the bodywork. Diplomatic touches include Vatican fender pennants, Papal coat of arms badging on the profile, and Vatican City State registration plates.
Under the skin, the Hilux retains the IMV ladder-frame chassis and the standard turbodiesel engine. However, the rear leaf springs and the shock absorbers have been recalibrated, to offer a stable and comfortable ride. Toyota Argentina commissioned two identical examples of the Hilux Popemobile to cover the needs of the trip in Buenos Aires and Cordoba, while supplying numerous support vehicles. According to the company, the Hilux was chosen because it's the most produced vehicle in Argentina.
Not the only Popemobile with a cargo bed
Besides the pair of modified Toyota Hilux units in Argentina, Pope Leo XIV's South American tour was supported by two other locally-produced midsize trucks — the the Fiat Titano from Stellantis was used as the main ride in Uruguay and the Chevrolet S10 from General Motors served as the vehicle of choice in Peru.
Starting with the Fiat Titano, it was converted by local coachbuilder Nordex. The model is based on the single-cab variant of the truck which shares its Changan-sourced ladder-frame underpinnings and 2.2-liter turbodiesel with the Peugeot Landtrek and the Ram 1200. Custom additions include a rear dome with a throne, side-facing auxiliary seats, red carpet, tubular handrails, and an electrically deployable rear staircase. The exterior is painted white with matching accents, a pair of Vatican flags mounted on the hood, Vatican emblems on the doors, side steps, and rear bumper extensions.
Chevrolet
As for the Chevy, it is based on the latest facelift of the S10, which is an upgraded version of the old Colorado. The South American model is manufactured at the São José dos Campos plant in Brazil. Local coachbuilder Engesig transformed two examples of the pickup which is powered by the 2.8-liter turbodiesel.
Since the S10 is only available in dual-cab configuration, the rear section had to be cut off to make room for the Pope's mobile office. The bed gained a ladder, an elevated section for the throne ensuring optimum visibility, and a pair of extra seats for security personnel, all under a transparent cover. To make up for the structural rigidity lost by cutting the C-pillars, the ladder-frame chassis has been reinforced.