Latest news with #ArmouredCarServices
The Irish Sun
8 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Irish Sun
Inside Golf Force One…Trump's modified cart coated with armour & bulletproof glass protecting him from fairway assassins
DONALD Trump's security entourage deployed a highly modified golf buggy to protect the prez from fairway assassins while he played his favourite sport. The all-black bond-style cart, dubbed Advertisement 11 The £20,000 cart can hit speeds of 65mph and has been adapted with toughened windows, reinforced panels Credit: TOM FARMER 11 The armoured cart and 26 others followed Trump around the course Credit: Robert Perry/PA Wire 11 President Donald Trump during his round of golf at Turnberry Golf Club, Ayrshire in Scotland Credit: Reuters 11 It was debuted by Trump's security Team as he The visiting leader took to the historic course after While the president was seen driving a standard white-framed buggy around the course, a unique buffed-up cart followed his fleet of 28 vehicles. It is said to be a modiefied Polaris NorthStar Edition which has been fitted with hardened tinted windows and reinforced panels. Advertisement The vehicle, which can sit six people, is believed to have state-of-the-art security protection - including smoke screens, electrified door handles and armoured plates. Gary Relf, director of Armoured Car Services, 'The windscreen is a giveaway, as are the side panels, doors and the large panel at the rear above the load tray.' Experts say the jet-black tinted windows indicate layers of protective laminate - typically used to prevent bullets in case of a shootout. Advertisement Most read in The US Sun Mr Relf added that it was likely the modifications would be designed to keep the vehicle as secure as possible while remaining lightweight enough to avoid damaging grass on the course. The all-wheel-drive mini beast comes with a twin Cylinder dual overhead cam engine that can reach upto 65mph. A source told The Scottish Sun: 'Trump was zipping between holes on a regular cart with this huge thing following behind. I was inches from death as Trump rally gunman shot at president – moment I shielded my pregnant wife fearing the worst 'His bodyguards were staying close and were ready to zoom off if he had to dive in. Advertisement 'The cart is an amazing bit of kit. 'It has massive chunky tyres, what looked like a winch on the front and even has space at the back for his clubs. 'Americans love their motors and Trump seems no different — this thing was bigger than some of the compact cars you see on the road here.' Donald Trump blasts 80s chart-topper from golf buggy DONALD Trump pressed play on an iconic eighties track yesterday as he played golf in Scotland. The US President teed off his five-day visit with a round at his Turnberry resort, accompanied by a massive security team. Angry campaigners waved creative signs in Aberdeen and Edinburgh as the American leader enjoyed a round of golf at his luxury Ayrshire resort. But this didn't get the leader of the free world down as he breezed past them while listening to Billy Joel's 1983 hit Uptown Girl. Also on President Trump's playlist was Memory from the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats, All Out of Love by Air Supply, Unchained Melody by the Righteous Brothers and Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon and Garfunkel. After surviving two assasination attemps - including one that almost took his life - Trump's security team seem to be well-prepared to thwart a third attempt. Advertisement The MAGA prez last year The suspect, who was able to get within 400-500 yards of Trump and even attempted to flee the scene in an SUV has been He was arrested after Secret Service agents saw 11 Specialist Rifle Officers ahead of a visit by US President Donald Trump to his Trump Turnberry golf course in South Ayrshire, during his five-day private trip to the country Credit: PA Advertisement 11 A defiant Trump showing a thumbs up after the attack that shook US politics Credit: Getty 11 The former president took cover after the shots as the Secret Service drew their weapons Credit: Getty 11 The MAGA prez last year survived a dangerous assassination bid while playing golf at the National Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. Credit: The Mega Agency Just two months previously, Trump was left wounded when a Advertisement Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, fired off eight shots from an assault rifle before he was taken out. A US government spokesman said: 'The US 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.' Over the weekend, Trump was seen enjoying golf at Advertisement Hillarious footage showed the moment Trump, 79, was seen being escorted down to the course, with a convoy of 20 other carts following close behind. The caddies went ahead of the US leader and one appeared to secretly place a golf ball on the ground. The brash New Yorker - whose mother was born in Scotland - then got out and claimed to have made the shot himself. Advertisement Read more on the Irish Sun One person who watched the footage circulating on "I want to know how he finds caddies to do that for him," added another. 11 Footage appeared to show a caddy drop the President's ball in a prime spot Credit: X / RoguePOTUSStaff 11 Donald Trump made an appearance at his Trump Turnberry golf course Credit: Shutterstock Editorial Advertisement 11 A massive security operation was in place as the President played golf on the course Credit: PA
NDTV
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- NDTV
What Is Golf Force One, Donald Trump's New Armoured Buggy
A heavily armoured black buggy was spotted trailing and keeping a close watch on US President Donald Trump during a weekend round of golf at his resort in Scotland. The vehicle, a stark contrast to Trump's usual white golf cart, has fuelled speculation about a new layer of protection following past threats to his life. The vehicle, which resembles a modified Polaris Ranger XP, moved silently but visibly close to the US President as he played, its presence hardly blending in with the manicured greens. While the US Secret Service reportedly declined to confirm whether the cart forms part of Trump's security detail, security experts have little doubt about its purpose. What Is Golf Force One? Nicknamed informally ' Golf Force One ', the armoured buggy appears to be a bespoke creation tailored for defensive mobility on the golf course. Its features, including a darkened windscreen, reinforced side panels and thick rear casing, suggest it has been specially fortified to withstand ballistic threats. "Just looking at the front windscreen, that looks armoured," Gary Relf, director of Armoured Car Services, was quoted as telling The Telegraph. Relf added that such modifications are often subtle yet significant. "From those photos, that is 100% armoured," he said. "The windscreen is a giveaway, as are the side panels, doors and the large panel at the rear above the load tray." The buggy's tinted windows may indicate transparent armour, according to Relf. He also pointed out that the overall design appears to prioritise defence, offering strong protection while remaining lightweight enough to preserve the integrity of the golf course surface. Heightened Security After Attempted Attacks According to The Telegraph, the secret service neither confirmed nor denied whether the cart was armoured or connected to Donald Trump 's security arrangements. The agency does not disclose the tools or techniques used to protect the president. In September 2024, Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida. A man named Ryan Routh aimed a Soviet-style SKS rifle at the US President. Agents conducting a sweep spotted Routh hidden about 400 yards away and fired at him. He dropped the weapon and fled in an SUV, only to be arrested during a traffic stop less than an hour later. It was the second assassination attempt on Trump in 2024. The first took place in July at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a gunman opened fire, killing one person and wounding Trump in the ear.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Golf Force One: Armour-plated cart follows Trump around course
Just 10 months ago, Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt – his second that year – as he played golf. So as Mr Trump and his entourage set off from the first tee at Trump Turnberry in South Ayrshire on Saturday, it appeared that his security team had come better prepared. In addition to the stream of army trucks, road checkpoints, and sniper positions around rural Turnberry, Mr Trump's team deployed an additional security measure in the form of a black-clad, reinforced golf cart. While the president opted to drive a standard white-framed buggy around the course, a distinctly bulkier off-road vehicle trailed him closely throughout. Security experts told The Telegraph the cart bore all the 'tell-tale signs' of being heavily armoured. The Beast – the US presidential state car believed to feature Bond-style gadgets, including smoke screens and electrified door handles – has become a familiar sight in recent years. But this armoured golf buggy appears to be a new addition to the fleet, sparking interest across the armouring and close-protection world. Gary Relf, director of Armoured Car Services, said: 'Just looking at the front windscreen, that looks armoured. I'm sitting in an armoured vehicle now. We build armoured vehicles. That does look armoured to me.' Mr Relf, a former traffic police officer who runs a company providing protective vehicles to wealthy individuals, heads of state and religious leaders, said it could be difficult to spot so-called 'auto-armour', but black banding across a windscreen was usually a giveaway. 'When we armour a vehicle, we take every kind of technical element out, the roof, the seats, the floor, the carpet, and then we put the armouring in, and we replace it all afterwards, so you might never know. 'But the thing that gives it away is the front windscreen.' As with other armoured vehicles, Mr Trump's reinforced golf buggy's windscreen features a black band around it. One of UK policing's foremost experts in armoured vehicles, who asked to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of his work, agreed with this assessment. 'From those photos, that is 100 per cent armoured,' he said. 'The windscreen is a giveaway, as are the side panels, doors, and the large panel at the rear above the load tray.' Credit: Reuters He identified its model as a Polaris Ranger XP and revealed Mr Trump's security golf cart would have been specially modified to offer its passengers as much protection as possible, while remaining light enough to to not damage the course. The front of the buggy, alongside its wheels and tyres, are not significantly adapted from the off-the-shelf model, because it's an 'defensive, not offensive' armoured vehicle, he said. 'Sometimes you just have an armoured cell for the passengers,' he explained. 'Its not a tank. It's defensive, not offensive.' And it's likely to be tailored to specific threats, with the tinting of the glass giving away how secure it is. 'As far as armouring goes, the world is your oyster. If your threat is someone with a baseball bat, you might fit plexiglass. But if it's a 7.62mm Dragunov sniper rifle with a full metal jacket bullet, then you need thicker transparent armour,' he said, referring to the layers of laminate which, combined with layers of glass, are used to make bullet-proof windows. 'The thicker the transparent armouring, the more tinted the window looks,' he added. A US Secret Service spokesman said: 'The US 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.' Polaris vehicles are widely used in the UK by rural police teams, the RNLI, mountain rescue and farmers. But the company also supplies military vehicles to US law enforcement and offers in-house armouring. Mr Trump's security team is likely making sure the US president has somewhere to go for protection in case of a third assassination attempt. On Sept 15 2024, guards spotted a man, suspected to be 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, aiming a rifle from shrubbery at a member of Mr Trump's security team at West Palm Beach, Florida. The gunman was chased away before firing a shot, but the episode underscored how exposed Mr Trump is while pursuing his favourite sport. Just two months previously, Mr Trump had survived an assassination attempt when shots were fired from an AR-15-style rifle as he spoke at an open-air campaign rally near Butler in Pensylvania on July 13 2024. One of the bullets clipped his ear and 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, the gunman, was shot and killed by the US Secret Service. 'This stuff is all about threat assessment. What is the threat? Is it a known threat? An unknown threat? Where do we set that level of what we've got to do?' the unnamed security expert added. 'And Americans, they don't take things lightly.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Solve the daily Crossword
Sydney Morning Herald
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Sydney Morning Herald
Golf Buggy One: Armour-plated cart follows Trump around course in Scotland
Gary Relf, director of Armoured Car Services, said: 'Just looking at the front windscreen, that looks armoured. I'm sitting in an armoured vehicle now. We build armoured vehicles. That does look armoured to me.' Relf, a former traffic police officer who runs a company providing protective vehicles to wealthy individuals, heads of state and religious leaders, said it could be difficult to spot so-called 'auto-armour', but black banding across a windscreen was usually a giveaway. 'When we armour a vehicle, we take every kind of technical element out, the roof, the seats, the floor, the carpet, and then we put the armouring in, and we replace it all afterwards, so you might never know. 'But the thing that gives it away is the front windscreen.' As with other armoured vehicles, Trump's reinforced golf buggy's windscreen features a black band around it. One of UK policing's foremost experts in armoured vehicles, who asked to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of his work agreed with this assessment. 'From those photos, that is 100 per cent armoured,' he said. 'The windscreen is a giveaway, as are the side panels, doors, and the large panel at the rear above the load tray.' He identified its model as a Polaris Ranger XP and revealed Mr Trump's security golf cart would have been specially modified to offer its passengers as much protection as possible, while remaining light enough to not damage the course. The front of the buggy and its wheels and tyres are not significantly adapted from the off-the-shelf model, because it's a 'defensive, not offensive' armoured vehicle, he said. 'Sometimes you just have an armoured cell for the passengers,' he explained. 'It's not a tank. It's defensive, not offensive.' And it's likely to be tailored to specific threats, with the tinting of the glass giving away how secure it is. 'As far as armouring goes, the world is your oyster. If your threat is someone with a baseball bat, you might fit plexiglass. But if it's a 7.62mm Dragunov sniper rifle with a full metal jacket bullet, then you need thicker transparent armour,' he said, referring to the layers of laminate which, combined with layers of glass, are used to make bullet-proof windows. 'The thicker the transparent armouring, the more tinted the window looks,' he added. A US Secret Service spokesman said: 'The US 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.' Loading Polaris vehicles are widely used in the UK by rural police teams, mountain rescue and farmers. But the company also supplies military vehicles to US law enforcement and offers in-house armouring. Trump's security team is likely making sure the US president has somewhere to go for protection in case of a third assassination attempt. On September 15, 2024, guards spotted a man, suspected to be 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, aiming a rifle from shrubbery at a member of Trump's security team at West Palm Beach, Florida. The gunman was chased away before firing a shot, but the episode underscored how exposed Trump is while pursuing his favourite sport. Loading Just two months previously, Trump had survived an assassination attempt when shots were fired from an AR-15-style rifle as he spoke at an open-air campaign rally near Butler in Pennsylvania on July 13. One of the bullets clipped his ear and 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, the gunman, was shot and killed by the US Secret Service. 'This stuff is all about threat assessment. What is the threat? Is it a known threat? An unknown threat? Where do we set that level of what we've got to do?' the unnamed security expert added.
The Age
2 days ago
- Automotive
- The Age
Golf Buggy One: Armour-plated cart follows Trump around course in Scotland
Gary Relf, director of Armoured Car Services, said: 'Just looking at the front windscreen, that looks armoured. I'm sitting in an armoured vehicle now. We build armoured vehicles. That does look armoured to me.' Relf, a former traffic police officer who runs a company providing protective vehicles to wealthy individuals, heads of state and religious leaders, said it could be difficult to spot so-called 'auto-armour', but black banding across a windscreen was usually a giveaway. 'When we armour a vehicle, we take every kind of technical element out, the roof, the seats, the floor, the carpet, and then we put the armouring in, and we replace it all afterwards, so you might never know. 'But the thing that gives it away is the front windscreen.' As with other armoured vehicles, Trump's reinforced golf buggy's windscreen features a black band around it. One of UK policing's foremost experts in armoured vehicles, who asked to remain anonymous due to the confidential nature of his work agreed with this assessment. 'From those photos, that is 100 per cent armoured,' he said. 'The windscreen is a giveaway, as are the side panels, doors, and the large panel at the rear above the load tray.' He identified its model as a Polaris Ranger XP and revealed Mr Trump's security golf cart would have been specially modified to offer its passengers as much protection as possible, while remaining light enough to not damage the course. The front of the buggy and its wheels and tyres are not significantly adapted from the off-the-shelf model, because it's a 'defensive, not offensive' armoured vehicle, he said. 'Sometimes you just have an armoured cell for the passengers,' he explained. 'It's not a tank. It's defensive, not offensive.' And it's likely to be tailored to specific threats, with the tinting of the glass giving away how secure it is. 'As far as armouring goes, the world is your oyster. If your threat is someone with a baseball bat, you might fit plexiglass. But if it's a 7.62mm Dragunov sniper rifle with a full metal jacket bullet, then you need thicker transparent armour,' he said, referring to the layers of laminate which, combined with layers of glass, are used to make bullet-proof windows. 'The thicker the transparent armouring, the more tinted the window looks,' he added. A US Secret Service spokesman said: 'The US 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.' Loading Polaris vehicles are widely used in the UK by rural police teams, mountain rescue and farmers. But the company also supplies military vehicles to US law enforcement and offers in-house armouring. Trump's security team is likely making sure the US president has somewhere to go for protection in case of a third assassination attempt. On September 15, 2024, guards spotted a man, suspected to be 58-year-old Ryan Wesley Routh, aiming a rifle from shrubbery at a member of Trump's security team at West Palm Beach, Florida. The gunman was chased away before firing a shot, but the episode underscored how exposed Trump is while pursuing his favourite sport. Loading Just two months previously, Trump had survived an assassination attempt when shots were fired from an AR-15-style rifle as he spoke at an open-air campaign rally near Butler in Pennsylvania on July 13. One of the bullets clipped his ear and 20-year-old Thomas Crooks, the gunman, was shot and killed by the US Secret Service. 'This stuff is all about threat assessment. What is the threat? Is it a known threat? An unknown threat? Where do we set that level of what we've got to do?' the unnamed security expert added.
