HERO-ERA 1 Prodrive Mustang on the high seas

The first historic American car to receive world title winning Prodrive engineering treatment, HERO-ERA 1, originally a rusting 1967 pony car transformed into state-of-the-art desert rally machine, is on the high seas heading to China for a second assault on the legendary endurance event, the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge. The driver for the 2025 campaign will be James Callahan as part of HERO-ERA’s Enduro Rally Programme.

HERO-ERA, the world’s premier historic events company, commissioned their flagship HERO-ERA 1 to be built in collaboration with Prodrive to take on major endurance events like the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge.

Launched by David Richards CBE (Chairman, Prodrive) and Tomas de Vargas Machuca (Chairman HERO-ERA) in 2023, the ceremony was watched approvingly by ex F1 driver and Le Mans winner Jackie Oliver at Bicester Heritage as the 400 bhp V8 long-range rally challenger was revealed. The stunning car was a result of a meticulous build by Prodrive, a company with World Championship winning pedigree across all motorsport categories.

Following the launch and extensive testing by three times British Rally Champion and 007 James Bond stunt driver Mark Higgins, HERO-ERA 1 was given its rally debut on the Badawi Trial to the Last Oasis in the Middle East by Xavier and Lucas de Sarrau, finishing 5^th Classic overall and 2nd in class. It was a great debut and a great shakedown for the new machine. After 1500 kilometres through Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman and UAE, Xavier loved it so much he said afterwards; ‘Can I have the next one?’

HERO-ERA 2 has since been purchased by Xavier de Sarrau and awaits completion at Prodrive, whilst suitors for the third Mustang collaboration between Prodrive and HERO-ERA are already weighing up their options and future events they can enter with the bespoke machine designed to challenge the best Porsche 911s in the historic rally world. The HERO-ERA Enduro Rally Programme is well under way.

However, the next big test for the original car was a huge one, the first assault on the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge for HERO-ERA 1, this time by a team of top racing drivers. Firstly Katarina Kyvalova, who's part of the Bentley Belles, a great driver in historic racing, Spa six hours, Le Mans Classic, and her team-mate John Minshaw, a very talented racing driver, who has won many prestigious races including at the Goodwood Revival. The duo tested the car and spent time at Prodrive making sure they familiarised themselves with every aspect of the car.

On day one of the 2024 P2P they blasted their way into the lead of the Classic Class and continued to be in around the podium positions as they learned the art of desert rallying and the challenges of navigation, swopping roles between driving and navigation as they journeyed half way around the world.

Sadly, the Mustang suffered a fuel pump failure in Greece that couldn’t be fixed on the side of the road, and so assistance was needed to get them to the port. Luckily for them, the crew that were loading the vessel seemed to prefer a loading system based upon anarchy, rather than any actual sense, and so they made the embarkation for the ferry to Italy, but the front end challenge was over.

The challenge may have been over, but the superb feedback from the racing drivers on P2P was translated by Prodrive engineers, lead by Richard Thompson, into improvements and modifications already built into HERO-ERA 1 which is currently on the high seas heading to China. Lesson learned and development through experience is part of Prodrive’s DNA.

The muscular rally machine was painstakingly constructed to cope with the rigours of HERO ERA’s endurance rallies including the world-renowned Peking to Paris Motor Challenge over 14,000 kms, and 37 days across the world’s largest landmass.

40 years of Prodrive competition experience were infused in the total ground-up restoration of HERO-ERA 1 and continued in the second build for Xavier de Sarrau. In a departure for the Prodrive Legends team within its Motorsport operation in reconstructing an American car, even the tiniest detail of original circlips had been produced. The rusting chassis was rejigged, bead blasted and strengthened with full forensic detail of the anticipated stresses. The suspension and struts were carefully crafted to absorb the worst pummelling expected over any desert, mountain, and forest tracks, showing their resilience in 2024.

Like the rest of the car, the 5.4 litre 400 bhp Dart Ford 302 V8 engine proved its design to run for long periods at high revs, whilst the Tremec TKX five-speed (with overdrive) gearbox showed itself to be tough, mated to the robust rear axle with a 9” limited slip differential to transfer all that power to the rear wheels.

As a racing drivers, Katarina and John were very particular about exactly how precise everything was, but they thought highly of the car afterwards, proclaiming it to be very, very drivable. It was a great testament to how the basic chassis was transformed and improved, thanks to Prodrive Engineering.

It was great to have Mark Higgins' input as a three time British Rally Champion, his appraisal was simple; “You get into the car and realise quickly that it is full of Prodrive magic - it's fantastic.”

Now the scouts are out looking for a suitable donor chassis for HERO-ERA 3 and a new owner who wants to take on the might of the historic rally world - and win!

Visit Enduro Rally Programme Website