What do you do if you have a project Ford Mustang and also organise some of the world’s best endurance rally events?
You enlist World Rally Championship-winning engineering company Prodrive to combine the two, of course, and end up with something very special indeed.
The HERO-ERA 1 has been in secret development between the two Oxfordshire-based firms for the past 15 months and chose Flywheel to reveal it to the world.
It retains the silhouette and presence of the 1967 Ford Mustang Fastback that acts as the canvas, but goes bigger and undoubtedly better. Even the noise, as the assembled crowd heard and felt at Flywheel, is bigger and better.
HERO-ERA 1 is no show pony, but will tackle the rally organiser’s longest and most gruelling events, not least the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge in 12 months’ time.
Before then, HERO-ERA 1 will feature on the 7500km, 16-day Badawi Trial across Saudi Arabia, Oman and United Arab Emirates.
Powering it along the rugged roads will be a 5.4-litre Ford 302 V8, producing 400bhp. The gearbox has been swapped for a Tremec TKX five-speeder paired to a limited-slip diff. It should be able to run and run and run, and rev.
It shouldn’t be let down by the rest, either, as it tackles unrelenting terrain. Prodrive has transferred its Dakar prowess for the underbody protection and the fuel tank is good for 400 miles.
It showed its performance during Flywheel with a series of runs on the Experience & Demonstration Track, including pirouetting with owner and HERO-ERA chairman Tomas de Vargas Machuca at the helm before Le Mans winner Jackie Oliver took over.
“This project started life a long time ago as a casual conversation with Tomas [de Vargas Machuca, HERO-ERA chairman] about my wife, Karen’s interest in taking part in the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge," explained Prodrive boss David Richards. "The collaboration between Prodrive and HERO-ERA has resulted in a unique classic rally car specifically designed for the rigours of long-distance events.
"The Ford Mustang was a significant departure from our usual projects, but we have utilised all our rally experience and the result is testament to everyone who worked on the car at Prodrive. I’m very confident that Tomas and his team at HERO-ERA will enjoy the Mustang as much as we have enjoyed working on the project.”
“We loved every minute of getting into the DNA of a mid-60’s US muscle car - from the detail build to hearing the beautiful rumble of the 302 Windsor V8 on our engine dyno, added Richard Thompson, senior engineer and Prodrive Legends General Manager. "HERO-ERO has created a superb platform of competition, adventure and camaraderie that is missing in modern day WRC events and for that reason we are all excited to accompany the car on these challenges.”
