Metal Militia: GOAT Tactical’s Atlas APC

Photography courtesy GOAT Tactical

When the Hummer first came became available as a civilian version of the original AM General Humvee, people were excited about the prospect of owning a tactical vehicle with battlefield roots. 

When GM took over production, the Hummer steadily devolved into a bloated, blinged-out hoopty that bore little resemblance to its rugged progenitor. Nowadays, a roughly 10,000-pound electric version [insert muffled giggle here] is attempting to rekindle interest in a model that’s become a parody of itself. If sh*t really hit the fan, would you want to be driving one? Spoiler alert: It’s survival of the fittest, not the most politically correct.  

GOAT Tactical Atlas APC Civilian Edition

• Engine: 6.7L V-8 turbodiesel
• Transmission: 10-speed automatic
• Height: 97.5 inches
• Length: 249 inches
• Width: 100 inches
• Wheelbase: 145 inches
• Track: 94.5 inches
• Fording depth: 31.5 inches
• Side slope gradient: 16.7 degrees
• Incline gradient: 31 degrees
• Fuel capacity: 39 gallons
• Payload: 3,306 pounds
• B6 armor weight: 17,196 pounds
• B7 armor weight: 22,400 pounds

Over the years, RECOIL has shown you lots of armored badassery on four wheels, ranging from DIY to bespoke turnkey.

With vehicles of this type, however, there tends to be a lot of oxymoronic attempts at combining brute pragmatism with opulence overkill. For instance, you can get electrified door handles and a smoke screen on a Rezvani. 

That’s cool for trust fund babies with Batman fetishes, but it’s also bordering on vehicular LARPing. Those seriously considering a mode of transportation that can be used and abused will want something that’s already proven itself on the global battlefield.   

Enter GOAT Tactical. While this name may not yet be colloquial among the defensively minded and automotive astute, they’re certainly cranking out a product that has a good blend of creature comforts and combat pragmatism. 

Most U.S. Military vehicles aren’t street legaI for the average civilian, plus the near impossibili­ty to locate one for a decent price. Plus, there’s the headache of procuring proprietary parts and service. Thankfully with GOAT’s Atlas APC Civilian Edition, you won’t have to worry about any of that.

“We’re a bunch of industry guys and veterans who love guns and the lifestyle surrounding them,” says founding partner Mike Miller. “It’s pretty clear that everyone loves military-inspired vehicles. The founding partners, having spent years in the armored vehicle industry, saw the opportunity to bring a current-generation, authentic military vehicle to the civilian market.”  

The Atlas is as imposing as it looks, but make no mistake, this isn’t some Navigator masquerading as an MRAP. 

Buyers can pick from a B6- or B7-level armored capsule (including the glass and engine compartment) built on a Ford F-550 chassis and drivetrain with a Super Single rear-wheel setup instead of a dually. This gives it the purpose-built, load-bearing resilience of a commercial vehicle with the drivability of an SUV. 

The “Base Tactical Package” features interior appointments like touchscreen controls, optional leather seats, and Bluetooth compatibility give it that modern familiarity with the extra incentive of having features like battle locks and gun ports on the doors. 

Because the focus of the Atlas is passenger survivability, the floor and fuel tank are rated to Stanag level 1 standards, which is to say they’ll withstand simultaneous blasts of two DM51 grenades. Although the B7 armor is almost visually indistinguishable from the lighter B6, upgraded axles, brakes, steering column, and other accessories are added to keep the driving manageable on the thicker option.

Seating can be configured for up to 12 passengers, and storage compartments abound its imposing exterior. 

Buyers can also opt for custom equipment like a roof turret with a motorized or manual 360-degree ring system or armored cupola. And aside from whatever your desired color scheme is, you can also opt for a 360 lighting package, secondary 26.5-gallon fuel tank, central tire inflation system, run-flat tires, train horns, and rage cages over the windows just to name a few choices buyers get. 

If you’d also like specific armor levels in certain areas of the vehicle, it can be set up to withstand a particular caliber by supplementing with ceramics and different anti-spal materials. In terms of customization, the sky is the limit — from purely tactical configurations to interiors that would rival a private jet. The point is that the customer get a final product meant to solve whatever particular problems they’re concerned about.

Vehicles are built to order, and production time is about 120 days for the base package. GOAT Tactical is also currently set up to uparmor the average off-the-lot vehicle, so if you want something more discreet, like an armored Toyota Camry, they can certainly help you with that. Future bespoke offerings intend to include a notch above and below the Atlas in terms of size and features, so stay tuned.

The Atlas APC is likely the closest thing you can get to owning a real-deal military vehicle that’s assembled in the U.S. and offers the global serviceability and component support you’d expect for any Blue Oval. 

GOAT seems to have put out a vehicle that’s got a nice mixture of HK refinement, AR versatility, and AK durability. A base-level B6 model will cost around $400K, but comparatively speaking, it seems like those dollars get you a lot in return. Yes, we know it requires having f*ck-you money to own, but what’s your life worth? It’s also reasonable to assume that South African cash-in-transit companies might see the practicality in something like this. Just ask Leo Prinsloo. 

“You can have all the firepower in the world, but without proper protection, you’re most vulnerable in your vehicle,” says Miller. “Occupied by the task of driving … not to mention that most of the components in modern cars are about as bullet resistant as a soda can. The Atlas provides ultimate capability in terms of performance and protection.”

Some are willing to go on a Hot Pocket diet for a while to afford the CCW pistol they’ll entrust their safety to, while others won’t go over $300 regardless of performance. Is there a right answer? It depends on who you ask, but the minute a real war starts, what mode of transportation might you want to search for food, supplies, and repel the unwashed masses amidst hostile conditions? 

That Veyron you drove to cars and coffee on the weekend won’t be worth much anymore. Hopefully Bugatti threw in a box of tampons for your trouble. 

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