You know a head of state is in town if, when in the vicinity of the Istana, traffic comes to a pause and a motorcade of fancy-looking vehicles roars past.

Usually, the foreign dignitary uses a powerful, stately, luxury car of some description, adorned with flags of the guests' home nation, accompanied by police outriders.

But when Pope Francis made his way around town last week, he was seen waving from an unconventional car... the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

The story of the Pope's car is a little heartwarming, a little odd, and a little inspiring, and it begins not with the Ioniq, but a totally different car.

Dude where's my car?

Believe it or not, the original car billeted to ferry Pope Francis was not a state car, nor was it the Ioniq.

It was an MPV volunteered by a local Catholic parishioner.

But the Pope, who is 87 years old, while having few requirements, certainly had preferences.

Francis is known for his eagerness to interact with Catholics who came out to see him and often prefers to sit in the front passenger seat of his vehicle to wave to them.

But his age has come with some mobility concerns, and added to that is the fact that Singapore, and most of Southeast Asia, drives on the opposite side of the car to Italy, and most of Europe.

This meant that the local organisers and Vatican officials did not know for certain if Pope Francis would be able to sit comfortably in the passenger seat while interacting with well-wishers.

It was decided that a second car would be sourced to ensure Pope Francis could travel comfortably.

Made (greener) in Singapore

In keeping with Pope Francis's encyclical "Laudato Si", it was decided that if possible the car should be an electric vehicle.

As Kevin Ho, the co-chair in charge of security for the Pope Francis Singapore 2024 Organising Committee, explained, the encyclical advocated "care for our common home" which, amongst other things, called on followers to care for each other and the environment.

There was also a desire to select a car that had an association with Singapore.

In previous years, this might have been a tall order.

But in 2023, Hyundai opened the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Centre in Jurong and began to manufacture the Ioniq 5 in Singapore, the first electric vehicle to be here.

Furthermore, the entire factory is designed to be more climate-conscious.

As Paul Byun, Head of Business Cooperation said, the factory not only aimed to reduce carbon emissions through its manufacturing processes, it was also a testbed for developing new manufacturing technologies.

These factors allowed the car to be more than just a vehicle to ferry the Pontiff around Singapore, but one that could be considered emblematic of his values.

Similar to Pope's own car

And it was love at first sight.

When the organising committee broached the idea to the Vatican team, the Vatican remarked that it was very similar to the Pope's own car, a Fiat 500.

"They sort of like it immediately," Ho said.

The real question was the physicality portion and whether he would face discomfort by sitting in the front, Ho added.

So Ho texted the Pope's driver and security officer asking whether the car would really work.

"He says, I think the Holy Father would face any form of discomfort just to be closer to the faithful. And that's what he did", Ho recounted.

Not the PopeMobile

Mothership viewed the car after its duty had been done, although it had been shorn of its ceremonial aspects.

It no longer sported the yellow and white Vatican City flag on its hood, nor the "SCV 1" (with SCV standing for "Status Civitatis Vaticanae", or Vatican City State) car plate.

The car should not be confused with the "PopeMobile", which usually refers to the vehicle Popes use when meeting people en masse, such as during the Sep. 12 Mass at the National Stadium or the one used during the Community welcome along Jurassic Mile on Sep. 11.

On the occasions, it was a white golf buggy adorned with Vatican symbology adorning the vehicle.

It has made several appearances on his trip through Southeast Asia, notably being seen on an Australian air force cargo plane during the Papua New Guinea leg of Pope Francis' trip.

There is a second Popemobile in Singapore. The Organising Committee felt that the Pope needed shelter from the afternoon sun during the Community Welcome along Jurassic Mile.

A new buggy from Jebsen and Jesson was offered but declined. Hence, a old used buggie was selected, with the car throughly cleaned. This second Popemobile was also used as a back up at the National Stadium.

In addition to Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and Singapore, Francis also travelled to East Timor, and returned to Rome from Singapore on Sep. 13.

There's your car dude

Sophia Ibrahim, Hyundai's Strategic Partnerships Manager, said the company donated the car to the Roman Catholic church in Singapore.

This would allow the "momentous" Papal visit to be commemorated "for generations to come".

While it's not absolutely certain what will happen to the car, one possibility is that the vehicle will be preserved in some way in a Heritage center.

The Church was already undertaking efforts to archive mementoes and artefacts of the visit.

One example was the Pope's vestments were to be preserved, and there were considerations to turn the Papal residence into a heritage centre of sorts.

The car might one day form part of the remembrance of the once-in-a-generation visit.

Provided space can be found to store it.

Top image via Mothership