Pope Francis was on Wednesday offered a Lamborghini Huracan, but the Vatican said there was no future as a popemobile for the Italian supercar.
The white-painted, special edition Lamborghini Huracan, which sells for around 180,000 euros, perfectly matched the pope’s white cassock as he blessed it outside the Casa Santa Marta, the guesthouse within the Vatican where he lives.
But a statement issued by Vatican said that the the Huracan, which has a top speed of more than 300 km per hour will instead be auctioned for charity.
The Vatican announced that the vehicle will be auctioned at Sotheby’s, with the proceeds to go to three of the pontiff’s favoured charities.
It is understood that the proceeds will go to a Catholic charity seeking to return Christian exiles to Iraq, to another one helping victims of the sex trade in Italy and to two Italian charities that operate in Africa.
Francis was given a specially prepared Huracan model, and the unusual gift was presented to the pope at the Vatican by the top management of Lamborghini, which is part of Germany’s Volkswagen Group.
The Pope’s blessing of the car is likely to ensure that it sells for far more than its original value.
In 2014, the Pope had a Harley-Davidson auctioned off for charity. The motorcycle sold for $284,000, more than 10 times its normal sales price.
A Harley motorcycle jacket signed by Francis sold for nearly $68,000.
An iPad that Pope Francis once owned sold for $30,500.
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