Ford gives custom 2026 Ford Explorer to Pope Leo XIV

(NBC, KYMA) - Ford CEO Jim Farley and his wife recently gifted Pope Leo XIV a custom 2026 Ford Explorer.

The custom Ford was built at the company's Chicago assembly plant just five miles from where Pope Leo grew up, and it was delivered to the pope at the end of February by the Farleys themselves.

The 2026 Ford Explorer features unique interior details including, Chicago flag seat tags, a chicago skyline stitched on the center console, and engraved scuff plates of a Chicago-to-Vatican design.

In addition to the hybrid car, the Chicago assembly plant team who helped build the vehicle included vanity license plates reading "Da Pope" and "Leo XIV."

Handwritten letters from the team and a pizza box from Pope Leo's favorite hometown pizza place were also gifted.

The assembly team knew they were building a custom ford for someone very important, but they had no idea it would be the pope.