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One-Off BMW R18 Transcontinental Signed By Pope Leo XIV Sells For ₹1.33 Crore At Charity Auction
A BMW R18 Transcontinental signed by Pope Leo XIV has been sold for €130,000 (₹1.33 crore) at a Sotheby's auction in Munich. The proceeds from the sale of the one-off BMW R18 Transcontinental motorcycle will go to a charity initiative supporting children's aid projects in Madagascar.
The BMW R18 Transcontinental was presented to Pope Leo XIV at St Peter's Square in September 2025, where he blessed and signed the bike before it was returned to Germany for auction. The project was conducted in cooperation with Missio Austria and officially donated by BMW Motorrad as a charity contribution.
The proceeds of €130,000 will be used to fund children's education and welfare programmes in Madagascar managed by Missio Austria. BMW partnered up with Missio Austria for the project and helped in coordinating the logistics for the Vatican presentation and auction process.
The BMW R18 Transcontinental offered for sale was built at the Berlin-Spandau factory and finished in a one-off mother-of-pearl white paint scheme with Vatican insignia. The design was developed by BMW Group Design and hand-finished to mark the Papal presentation and the charitable purpose of the model.
Mechanically, the R18 Transcontinental retains its 1,802 cc air/oil-cooled boxer twin engine producing 91 bhp and 158 Nm of torque. Power is delivered to the rear wheel through a six-speed gearbox and shaft drive setup.
The motorcycle features adaptive LED headlights, a 10.25-inch TFT display with integrated navigation, multiple ride modes, and touring equipment suited for long-distance riding. The special edition includes custom pinstriping and chrome elements identifying it as a unique collector's motorcycle.
BMW Motorrad Head Markus Flasch said, "The fantastic result of the auction of our R 18 Transcontinental signed by Pope Leo XIV is a wonderful final highlight of this charity campaign. Like everyone involved, I am also delighted that we can make a significant contribution with the auction proceeds of 130,000 euros to support aid projects for children in Madagascar together with Missio Austria. And of course, I wish the new owner lots of fun with this unique BMW R 18 Transcontinental."
The auction was conducted by Sotheby's at Motorworld Munich earlier this month and drew interest from collectors and BMW enthusiasts across Europe. The buyer's identity was not disclosed.
This one-off BMW R18 Transcontinental remains the only example worldwide bearing the signature of Pope Leo XIV. It combines BMW's engineering heritage with a verified Papal provenance and the fact that it was sold for a good cause makes it even more valuable in our eyes.
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