Rare Car Archive

Makes › Mercedes-Benz Germany › 230 › 230 GE armoured Popemobile (W 460) · Royal, state & papal · 1982

Mercedes-Benz
230 GE armoured Popemobile (W 460)

Armoured near-twin of the 1980 car, built after the 1981 assassination attempt

Still being researched: identification guide. Everything shown is checked against the cited sources. Know more? Send us a source.

IDENTIFICATION CARD · MERCEDES-BENZ 230 GE ARMOURED POPEMOBILE (W 460) 1982
No licensed photograph yet. Photographs are published only when their licence permits it.
1BuiltIndependently researched
0Chassis documentedin this archive
1SurvivingIndependently researched
Contents
  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Production & history
  3. 03Specifications
  4. 04Colours & options
  5. 05Individual cars
  6. 06Reference

01Overview

At a glance

Built
1 Built
Years
1982
Engine
2,299 cc / 2.3 LFactory: 2,299 cc
Power
93.2 kW / 127 PSFactory: 125 hp · converted
Top speed
Not yet verified
Body
Not yet verified
Designer
Not yet verified
In this archive
Not yet verified
Surviving
1 (independently researched)

Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.

Why it matters

After the attempt on John Paul II in St. Peter's Square on 13 May 1981, security around the pope was raised and an armoured version of the Popemobile was introduced. The Vatican Museums name the Mercedes-Benz 230 GE among these armoured vehicles and state that they stayed in service until 2002. A Mercedes-Benz 230 GE Popemobile is held in the museums' Carriage Pavilion.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Model rarityNot yet assessed
Specification rarityNot yet assessed
Colour rarityNot yet assessed
Individual rarityNot yet assessed
Historical rarityOne-off 1 · Built1
Survival rarityNot yet assessed 1 · Surviving2

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

02Production & history

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

What is countedFigureBasisStatus
Total model productionOne Mercedes-Benz 230 GE Popemobile is held in the Vatican Museums collection (Carriage Pavilion, cat. 57205); the page does not state whether it is the 1982 vehicle or a later one. 12 Surviving examples Independently researched
Total model productionindividual vehicle – the second, virtually identical, armoured 230 GE Popemobile 11 Factory production Independently researched

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

The Vatican Museums trace the Popemobile to the white off-road vehicle that appeared after the 1976 Jubilee, first a Toyota Land Cruiser and then a Fiat Campagnola, the latter associated with the 1981 attack. The armoured generation followed, and its examples include a Land Rover Santana and the Mercedes-Benz 230 GE.

The museums catalogue their Mercedes-Benz 230 GE (catalogue number 57205) as built by Daimler Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart in 1990, a date that conflicts with the 1982 given on this site for the second armoured vehicle; the page does not say whether the catalogued car is that vehicle or a later one.

Variants

How each version differs from the standard 230 GE armoured Popemobile (W 460).

No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

03Specifications

Technical specifications

Engine

Engine familyNot yet verified
Engine codeM 102 E 23 / 102.981 (from 01.1986: 102.987)3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.
LayoutNot yet verified
Cylinders43Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.
Displacement 2,299 cc / 2.3 LFactory: 2,299 cc3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.
Bore 95.5 mmFactory: 95.5 mm3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.
Stroke 80.25 mmFactory: 80.25 mm3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.
Compression ratio9.0:13Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.
Valvetrain2 valves per cylinder; 1 overhead camshaft driven by single roller chain3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.
Fuel systemIntake manifold injection, mechanically controlled (Bosch K-Jetronic); from 01.1986 mechanically-electronically controlled (Bosch KE-Jetronic)3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.
Power 93.2 kW / 127 PSFactory: 125 hp · converted3Rating: DINValue is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ. Archive: 92 kW / 125 DIN/hp at 5000 rpm; with catalytic converter 90 kW / 122 DIN/hp at 5100 rpm.
Power at 5,000 rpm3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.
Torque 192 NmFactory: 192 Nm3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ. With catalytic converter 188 Nm at 4000 rpm.
Torque at 4,000 rpm3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.

Transmission & drivetrain

GearboxNot yet verified
GearsNot yet verified
Driven wheelsFour-wheel drive: permanent rear-wheel drive; disengageable front-wheel drive3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.

Chassis, body & dimensions

ChassisBox-section ladder-type frame3Value is the base 230 GE (W 460, 460 GE 23) series figure from the Mercedes-Benz archive; the page does not mention the Popemobile and the armoured conversion may differ.
Front suspensionNot yet verified
Rear suspensionNot yet verified
BrakesNot yet verified
SteeringNot yet verified
Body constructionNot yet verified
WheelbaseNot yet verified
LengthNot yet verified
WidthNot yet verified
HeightNot yet verified
Front trackNot yet verified
Rear trackNot yet verified
Kerb weightNot yet verified
Dry weightNot yet verified

Performance

Maximum speedNot yet verified
0–100 km/hNot yet verified
Fuel tankNot yet verified

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

04Colours & options

Factory colours & interiors

Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Factory options & codes

Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

05Individual cars

Chassis register

Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Competition history

Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Auction & sale history

Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

See one in person

Museums where an example of this car can be seen.

No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

06Reference

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    Motor1 – Mercedes Popemobiles century exhibit Level C
    • 1 individual vehicle – the second, virtually identical, armoured 230 GE Popemobile
    Accessed 2026-11-12
  2. 2
    Papamobiles (Carriage Pavilion) Level B Vatican Museums
    • Mercedes-Benz 230 GE; Daimler Mercedes-Benz; Stuttgart (Germany), 1990; Cat. 57205
    Accessed 2026-11-12
  3. 3
    230 GE (short wheelbase), 1982 - 1991 (base model page, 460 GE 23) Level A Mercedes-Benz AG, Mercedes-Benz Public Archive (Classic M@RS)
    • Engine designation / type : M 102 E 23 / 102.981 (Drive)
    • Number of cylinders / arrangement : 4 / in-line (Drive)
    • Displacement : 2299 cc (Drive)
    • Bore : 95.5 mm (Drive)
    • Stroke : 80.25 mm (Drive)
    • Compression ratio : 9.0 (Drive)
    • Number of valves per cylinder : 2; Camshaft drive : single roller chain (Drive)
    • Injection pump / injection system (type) : intake manifold injection (Bosch K-Jetronic) (Drive)
    • Rated power : 92 kW / 125 DIN/hp at 5000 rpm (Drive)
    • Nominal torque : 192 Nm at 4000 rpm (Drive)
    • Drive : four-wheel drive: permanent rear-wheel drive; disengageable front-wheel drive (Chassis and power transmission)
    • Frame design : box-section ladder-type frame (Chassis and power transmission)
    Accessed 2026-11-12

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