Pope Francis' Fiat 500L Sells for $82K at Auction
The Fiat 500L used by Pope Francis during his visit to Philadelphia has sold for $82,000.
Being described as “Pope Francis’ Philly Fiat” at the auction, over 19 bidders participated in the auction that lasted 11 minutes. Participants were able to bid both in person at the Philadelphia Auto Show or remotely. According to church officials, the winning bid came from Michael and Kate Champan of Chapman Auto Stores and the money will benefit the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia.
During his visit in the U.S., Pope Francis chose the Fiat to symbolize his concern for the environment, as well as trying to dispel the impression that the church is often associated with rich trappings.
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The Fiat 500L was one of six used during the Pontiff’s visit to Washington, New York and Philadelphia. His version of the “Popemobile” was a white Jeep with open sides.
The 2015 Fiat 500L starts from $20,325 including destination, so having the Pope use your vehicle is a good way to increase its value by at least four times.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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