Polaris has long supplied the federal government with all manner of go-fast, take-names powersport vehicles. I mean, it has its own division within the company. And they’ve ranged from snowmobiles that can link up with submarines to overland special operations RZRs built to topple dictatorships.
There was even that UTV-based tank that it developed for the Canadian military. Something I could’ve sworn the brand was going to put into production and start selling to you and I. Fingers crossed it still happens.
But the latest development from the company, though likely not directly from Polaris, is this fascinating armored Ranger X UTV that the Secret Service is apparently using to protect President Trump while he golfs. And the internet has given it a chef’s kiss of a name: Golf Force One.
According to The War Zone, which spoke to the White House, the up-armored Polaris Ranger is “part of the Presidential fleet of specialty vehicles,” and was first spotted by the press when a gunman was found on the golf course where then-President-Elect Trump was golfing. The latest sighting of Golf Force One was when President Trump was in Scotland to meet with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at the Trump Turnberry Golf Course.
But as I mentioned, Polaris might’ve supplied the Ranger UTV through its normal government services division, but it was a separate company that provided the ballistic armor. And, according to The War Zone, the company is likely either Chicago-based Scaletta Armoring or MacGyver Solutions out of North Carolina.
Scaletta’s site states, “Scaletta manufactures armored sedans, SUVs, limousines, and vans that help protect the lives of people around the world. We work with clients to develop the armor package and modifications best suited for the vehicle model they want and the threats they face. Our work is performed in-house in our secure facility—from suspension and braking modifications to show-quality paint and luxury upfits.”
The War Zone states that the armored kit for the Ranger from Scaletta costs around $190,000. Likewise, the company’s website includes that they’ve worked with the Secret Service, Department of State, Department of Homeland Security, General Services Administration, and are part of Cadillac’s Master Coachbuilder group.
MacGyver Solution’s founder, however, didn’t know if his company had supplied this armored example of the Polaris Ranger X side-by-side, and when reached for comment about the UTV, the Secret Service told The War Zone, “The U.S. Secret Service employs a variety of tools and resources to safeguard our protectees. In order to maintain operational security, the Secret Service does not discuss the specific means and methods used to conduct our protective operations.”
And for what it’s worth, MacGyver also builds a military-spec Zero FX S electric motorcycle.
It should be noted that the Polaris Ranger X that’s being used is one of a support nature, as the President is still driving around regular old golf carts on the links. Those, famously, have no doors, and barely have a windshield.
The Ranger X, however, is likely designed to be a bug-out vehicle in the event that a shooter makes it past the Secret Service perimeter and starts firing upon the President’s golf cart motorcade. A vehicle where they can get the President semi-secured and whisk him away to a far safer location quickly. Because even with armoring, a Ranger X won’t be able to hold a candle to something like The Beast or concrete bunker.
