Choose Your Zombie Apocalypse Vehicle: Sniper-Proof F550 Or Armored Ram Truck With A Gun Turret

Since the days of the Hummer, military-style vehicles have held a place in society as ruggedly cool for some. Today, an entire segment of rugged, tough, battle-ready SUVs and trucks exist. Now, we want your input on which of these two apocalypse-themed pickups you’d rather have since they both recently went up for auction. Do the sellers of these cars know something we don’t know?

In one corner we have the 2020 Terradyne Gurkha RPV, a Ford F550-based armored vehicle with a turbo diesel V8, four-wheel drive, and a roof-mounted hatch. Think of sort like a larger, slower, less attractive version of a Lamborghini LM002 but with some serious military equipment.

In the opposing corner is this 2013 RAM 3500 Tradesman 4X4. No, it might not have the hardcore armor that the Terradyne does but it’s not showing up to this battle empty-handed. It features an inline-six turbo diesel, four-wheel drive, far fewer miles on the clock, more horsepower, and a 50-caliber gun turret (sans gun) at the rear.

Terradyne Gurkha RPV

To kick things off let’s focus on the Terradyne since it’s the more expensive, newer, and more serious of the two. The automaker builds several vehicles and this is what it calls the RPV or Rapid Patrol Vehicle. It weighs up to 15,500 pounds and comes with real B7/Stanag 2 armoring. According to Armormax, “B7 protection is the strongest level of protection used to stop armor-piercing bullets from high-velocity rifles including sniper rifles.”

It also comes with a 40-gallon fuel tank, tires rated for 81 mph, and some 750 lb-ft of torque. This particular example also comes with leather upholstery, deadbolts to keep the doors locked, a rear-seat entertainment center, and seating for five. Several days remain on its auction over at Cars and Bids and someone is already willing to spend $79,999. That figure is somewhat impressive considering that it has some 44,000 miles on the odometer.

On top of that, the CarFax history reports that it was in an accident in September 2021. Perhaps more hilariously it says that the vehicle wasn’t damaged in the accident. Of course it wasn’t but I shudder to think of what the other vehicle looks like. There’s no way to be sure but commenters in the auction are estimating that it gets roughly eight miles per gallon. That’s right, this gets roughly the same fuel economy as a Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport.

The Battle Ram

The other option here is a 2013 RAM 3500 Tradesman 4X4 which might sound strange initially since it has no real armor at all. The kicker is that it is so heavily modified in other ways that it makes for a fun comparison. According to the auction page, the owner of Spikes Tactical actually commissioned this truck. As such, its big attention-grabber is a gun turret in the bed.

It seats two people with fold-down aircraft jump seats. The gear shifter is from an A-10 “Warthog” Thunderbolt II aircraft. The exhaust tip is made from an AR-15 rifle. This thing seems to have every bit of militaristic memorabilia possible.

Those who prefer real power they can show off rather than faux military gear will appreciate the engine. It supposedly makes some 820 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque. There’s no question that this truck should be capable of outrunning the Terradyne by some measure. Of course, there is a slight issue we should divulge.

The Michelin XZL tires at each corner are undoubtedly tough and capable. At the same time, they’re speed rated for just 55 mph. That’s right, this massive beast doesn’t have rubber built to go any faster. Despite all of the gear we see here it’s not capable of doing a 0-60 mph test without traveling outside of its own safety envelope.

The truck has undergone some big changes in its life. Back in 2015, it debuted on YouTube with a full walkaround video but it looked very different. The turret was still the focal point but the paint was a gunmetal gray with a toothy graphic on the sides. The wheels were different, it didn’t have the cage on the bed that it does now, and the seats were black cloth.

While it might have more modifications over time than the Terradyne, it does feature far fewer miles, just 18,200 since new. Would that make it a good enough value that you’d pick it? Bidders were willing to pay $36,000 for it but the seller had a higher reserve. What would you be willing to pay?

In the military-vehicle segment we might look at these two like a minivan and a city car. The Terradyne is capable of hauling a family on the highway somewhat comfortably and the RAM with its smaller footprint should stay in town and off of the highway where speeds sometimes exceed 55 mph.

Ultimately, these are just fun statement vehicles that embody the idea of overkill. If one of these was about to be your next vehicle, which would you choose and why? Let us know in the comment section!

Images: Cars and Bids
Top graphic credits: Tim Mee Toys; Depositphotos.com