Audi and BMW fight over the official limousine for Pope Benedict.

[Yperion]

Pope gets the best of both

Two of Germany's carmaking giants have reached a truce over the official limousine for Pope Benedict XVI's nostalgic visit to his native Bavaria.

Regensburg, Germany - Two of Germany's carmaking giants have reached a truce over the official limousine for Pope Benedict XVI's nostalgic visit to his native Bavaria.

BMW and Audi are both based in Bavaria - BMW in Munich and Audi in Ingolstadt - and both claimed the right to supply the official car for the six-day visit.

With neither company prepared to give way, the Munich Archbishop's office was forced to step in to make the final decision - when in Munich, where the pope landed from Rome on Saturday, he would be driven in a BMW 7-series but during his three-day stay in Regensburg he would use an Audi A8.

"It was important to us that we provided the car he used first on his visit," said a BMW spokesman.

"After all, when the pope is in Munich, he should be driven in a BMW."

Audi said it was satisfied with the compromise.

"At the end of the day, it is all about the visibility of the product," a spokesman said.

There is however only one popemobile, and it is made by Mercedes, the third of Germany's big three carmakers.

Source

 

[El Zorro]

Why would someone choose a BMW over an Audi (or the other way round) just because it was the pope's official limousine? Pretty ridiculous if you ask me, but it might be the case that such events have a great impact on public opinion...

 

[Matt]

if the pope had chosen an audi i may drop the whole bmw fanboy facade...

 

[NarutoRamen]

if the pope had chosen an audi i may drop the whole bmw fanboy facade...

Well if it's worth anything...his OFFICIAL popemobile is a Mercedes

 

[donau]

[....BMW and Audi are both based in Bavaria - BMW in Munich and Audi in Ingolstadt ....

Hmmm....RUF is in Bavaria (Pfaffenhausen) too I wonder why they were not considered? Too hot? (Like "the other side" of the hereafter)

 

[Matt]

Well if it's worth anything...his OFFICIAL popemobile is a Mercedes

you know I CANT stop being a BMW fanboy haha. At this point its embedded in my DNA

 

[Imhotep Evil]

Hmmm....RUF is in Bavaria (Pfaffenhausen) too I wonder why they were not considered? Too hot? (Like "the other side" of the hereafter)

Well, that's true.
But honestly I think this is kind of ridicolous.

 

[Merc1]

Boy German car companies will fight with each other over anything! Just think if they all worked together on something!

M

 

[PanterroR]

I'd give him Aztek....

 

[wltsm]

Man, if I was the Pope, that would be cool!

I would be driven in the BMW one week, Audi the next, and Mercedes in between! Oh and I had that enzo!

 

[MikeJ]

Man, if I was the Pope, that would be cool!

I would be driven in the BMW one week, Audi the next, and Mercedes in between! Oh and I had that enzo!

But you'd have to wear a funny hat, and you wouldn't fit in the Enzo with it.

 

[cawimmer430]

There is a German saying that goes like this:

Wenn zwei sich streiten, freut sich der dritte. (When two are fighting about something, the third one is happy).

Audi and BMW are fighting, and Mercedes is happy.

 

[wltsm]

But you'd have to wear a funny hat, and you wouldn't fit in the Enzo with it.

I don't think you have to wear the hat all the time, it would be impossible in bed, or walking through doorways!

 

[Imhotep Evil]

There is a German saying that goes like this:

Wenn zwei sich streiten, freut sich der dritte. (When two are fighting about something, the third one is happy).

Audi and BMW are fighting, and Mercedes is happy.

That's almost identical to a saying of ours.
When two are fighting (about someting), the third one wins.
Must be a central european thing.

 

[SDNR]

What is wrong with that blinged-out G class Popemobile that Mercedes have in the foyer of their headquarters.

 

[Giannis]

the golden rims!

 

[klier]

That's almost identical to a saying of ours.
When two are fighting (about someting), the third one wins.
Must be a central european thing.

More like a logical universal thing every country/person says.