The dust may just be settling on the recent unveiling of the 2022 Bronco Raptor but Ford is still working on other Bronco variants. With the Raptor slaying trails, the company chose to create a custom Pope Francis Edition Bronco to not only celebrate a slice of Bronco history but also benefit a good cause too.
A Papal Flavored Bronco
The Bronco and the highest office of the catholic church became intertwined in 1979 when Pope John Paul II embarked on a trip to the U.S. which was the first such trek for a sitting pope. He toured many cities throughout the country and used a custom 1980 Ford Bronco as his official Popemobile. While this Bronco does not have a viewing platform like the old one did, it does come with a custom Wimbledon White paint scheme which is contrasted with Pope Francis badging and a Rapid Red stripe package.Â
The build is based on a First Edition model but the custom touches continue with the wheels, grille, and other areas being splashed in white accents. Ford Performance also contributed some useful goodies including sidepod lights, an LED light bar, wheel well rock lights, and a nice set of tube doors. The interior largely follows the same script with Wimbledon White and red accents being scattered throughout the cabin.
Pope Francis Edition Will Benefit Charity
As the name implies, the Pope Francis Edition will benefit a good cause when it crosses the block at Barrett Jackson with all the proceeds going to the Pope Francis Center in Detroit which is a charitable organization that has played a prominent role in assisting the homeless population in Detroit. Enthusiasts looking to catch a glimpse of the Bronco will be able to do so on Thursday when it will cross the block at 4:30 pm PT Mountain Time.Â
Barrett Jackson has a storied reputation of encouraging strong bidding on charity vehicle offerings and look for the Pope Francis Edition to continue this trend with a strong sales performance.Â
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.