Pope Francis receives a brand-new Dacia Duster SUV

KUALA LUMPUR: Pope Francis has just acquired a new popemobile, which is a brand-new Dacia Duster. The SUV has been specially equipped with a glass superstructure that can be removed as well. 2020 modified Dacia Duster 4×4 was granted to his Holy See,

Pope Francis, by the CEO of Automobile Dacia SA and managing director of Groupe Renault Romania, Christophe Dridi and by the general manager of Groupe Renault Italy, Xavier Martinet. Moreover, they presented it to him during a visit to Vatican City on November 27.

According to Martinet, “the Dacia Duster was modified specifically for the mobility needs of the Sovereign Pontiff with hopes that with this gift to His Holiness, Groupe Renault renews its strong and continuous commitment to putting man at the centre of its priorities.” The parent brand of the Romanian car manufacturer that presented the modified Duster is Group Renault.

The popemobile is a second-generation Duster, which was manufactured by Dacia’s prototype-building lineup with the assistance of Romturingia, Romanian coachbuilder. The coachbuilder has removed the large sunroof to fit in the removable glass structure, which will allow the pope to sit or stand and still the faithful will be able to see him.

In order to make the cabin more easily accessible for the pope, the ground clearance of the SUV has been reduced by 1.2 inches. However, the dimension of the vehicle still remains the same at 1.80 meters wide and 4.34 meters long. In addition to that, to ensure the pope gets a comfortable ride, a rear bench has also been equipped that comes along with grab handles.

Even if the engine specs were not exposed, we could expect that it gets the usual 1.4- litre turbocharged 4- cylinder mill that generates a maximum output of 130 hp, or the possible option can be the 1.5- litre turbo diesel engine that produces 115 hp of power and comes mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.

 

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