A 1999 Vatican popemobile vehicle that General Motors is selling this week at the Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction in Scottsdale was once used for Pope John Paul II in Mexico City. The stretch Cadillac DeVille with an elevated throne could be tricked out with some spinner wheels, a thumping church organ and a holy-water vessel in the console. "It would make a fine grand marshal car for the Calgary Stampede parade," said Glen Richardson, a car enthusiast who splits time between Scottsdale and Calgary, Alberta.
The papal Cadillac that GM built for John Paul II is among the approximately 245 vehicles the carmaker is selling at Barrett-Jackson. They are part of GM's Heritage Collection of innovative and experimental cars, pace cars and other special vehicles. Cars for sale also include a pristine 1916 GMC flatbed truck and a two-tone green 1954 Oldsmobile 98 with a Rocket V8 engine and an Autronic Eye on the dash that automatically dimmed the headlights. Greg Wallace, manager of the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Mich., said the vehicles are among those the carmaker is willing to part with because they no longer have a business purpose, the center has more than one of the same model, or caretakers believe, if necessary, they could reaquire the vehicle.
Some in the auction, he said, are not able to be titled for driving, and others might have been sold for scrap.
GM has been coming to Barrett-Jackson since 2004, although previously had brought only 25 to 50 cars per year.
The cars are expensive for GM to maintain - Wallace estimated they cost $2,500 per year for "care and feeding" - so the financially troubled automaker took a closer look this year.
"We're trying to be as efficient with our collection as possible," Wallace said.
GM's papal ride was drawing lots of interest Tuesday during the car auction at WestWorld, with visitors taking photos and chuckling reverently.
Pope John Paul II took a lap around the Estadio Azteca soccer field in the white Caddy before a crowd of more than 100,000 on Jan. 25, 1999.
The pope blessed the car, but it did not have the blessing of his security detail, which rejected it as unsafe at any speed.
The popemobile and other GM cars are among more than a thousand cars that will be auctioned through Sunday at the 38th annual Barrett-Jackson event. Wallace said a 1925 GM house truck sold for $112,000 on the first day.
Given the tough economy, he is unsure how the week will go, but remains optimistic. "We'll know more in a couple of days," he said.
Russo and Steele starts its auction today in Scottsdale. RM Auctions and Gooding & Co. hold their events this weekend.
The papal Cadillac that GM built for John Paul II is among the approximately 245 vehicles the carmaker is selling at Barrett-Jackson. They are part of GM's Heritage Collection of innovative and experimental cars, pace cars and other special vehicles. Cars for sale also include a pristine 1916 GMC flatbed truck and a two-tone green 1954 Oldsmobile 98 with a Rocket V8 engine and an Autronic Eye on the dash that automatically dimmed the headlights. Greg Wallace, manager of the GM Heritage Center in Sterling Heights, Mich., said the vehicles are among those the carmaker is willing to part with because they no longer have a business purpose, the center has more than one of the same model, or caretakers believe, if necessary, they could reaquire the vehicle.
Some in the auction, he said, are not able to be titled for driving, and others might have been sold for scrap.
GM has been coming to Barrett-Jackson since 2004, although previously had brought only 25 to 50 cars per year.
The cars are expensive for GM to maintain - Wallace estimated they cost $2,500 per year for "care and feeding" - so the financially troubled automaker took a closer look this year.
"We're trying to be as efficient with our collection as possible," Wallace said.
GM's papal ride was drawing lots of interest Tuesday during the car auction at WestWorld, with visitors taking photos and chuckling reverently.
Pope John Paul II took a lap around the Estadio Azteca soccer field in the white Caddy before a crowd of more than 100,000 on Jan. 25, 1999.
The pope blessed the car, but it did not have the blessing of his security detail, which rejected it as unsafe at any speed.
The popemobile and other GM cars are among more than a thousand cars that will be auctioned through Sunday at the 38th annual Barrett-Jackson event. Wallace said a 1925 GM house truck sold for $112,000 on the first day.
Given the tough economy, he is unsure how the week will go, but remains optimistic. "We'll know more in a couple of days," he said.
Russo and Steele starts its auction today in Scottsdale. RM Auctions and Gooding & Co. hold their events this weekend.
1 comment:
I got a chance to see some of this. Great stuff on four wheels. I just got back from Detroit and the NAIAS previews are this week and the show starts on Saturday I think. The whole city is a buzz with that and with the news that the company chosen to make the batteries for the Volt will build 3 facilities I think in Michigan.
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