The Pope Drove A Ford

A 1976 Ford Escort GL, once owned by Pope John Paul II, is hitting the auction block in Auburn for the second time. The light blue car has a worn interior and no hubcaps but its storied history could help it bring up to $300,000 during the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Festival that runs through Sunday. The Escort was first auctioned in Auburn in 1996, then became entangled in litigation. The latest auction comes after the car’s Texas owner died, leaving others to liquidate his massive auto collection.