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Bidding for the grey 1999 Volkswagen Golf with 47,000 miles, in mint condition started at US$10,000, however the end of today it reached over US$75,000.

The car is offered on the auction site by 21 year old Benjamin Halbe who bought it in January from a used car dealer. He had no idea its previous owner, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, would become the Pope.

The auction will end Thursday, eBay expects the price to continue to rise.

Halbe said he has scanned in documentary evidence and put it up on the site.

The pope does not have a driver's license but it is believed he was driven around in the vehicle before 1999.

On eBay's German site, part of a registration document can be seen that says: "Last known owner: Josef Cardinal Ratzinger" The ex-cardinals name is misspelled on the document.