Lancia Superjolly Popemobile

The Lancia Superjolly is an alloy-bodied light commercial vehicle produced by  Lancia. The truck, which shares its engine and some other mechanicals with the Lancia Flavia, is the successor of the Appia-based Lancia Jolly. The 1½ ton Superjolly has a longer wheelbase than its predecessor.

The Superjolly has front-wheel drive with independent suspension, meaning that the loading area is uncommonly low. A three-speed manual transmission was standard.

The low-loading truck was available with a variety of bodywork, as a van, pick-up, ambulance, and bus. There were also special designs available, such as a mobile home version and a display truck for companies to show their new products. The truck was also used by the Italian Post.

In 1962 in the Lancia factory in Chivasso, they produced the special vehicle - It is based on the standard Superjolly but in open-top bus form. It has two front seats and a large rear circular bench that follows the body of the vehicle. It is painted blue and white with the interior in alcantara. It has never been registered and was used during factory visits by VIPs and the presentation of new products. In 1978, during the visit of Pope John Paul I , it was modified with new seats for the visit of the pope to the plant.