Tomás De Vargas Machuca brings rallying insight to Wilton Legends

With a career that bridges entrepreneurship, historic motoring, and endurance rallying, Tomás De Vargas Machuca will join this year’s Wilton House Wilton Legends as a speaker. As Chairman and co founder of HERO-ERA, he has played a central role in building one of the leading platforms for long-distance historic rallying and motoring culture. 

Originally from a background in finance, he left the banking world to pursue a long held passion for historic cars, inspired in part by participating in events such as the Le Jog. That experience led directly to the creation and expansion of HERO-ERA, with a focus on making historic rallying more accessible while preserving its spirit of adventure. 

Under his leadership, HERO-ERA has developed a global calendar of endurance events, including the Peking to Paris Motor Challenge, widely regarded as one of the last great motoring adventures. Machuca is not only an organiser but an active competitor, regularly taking part in the events he oversees.  In 2025, he completed the Peking to Paris rally solo, covering nearly 15,000 kilometres across multiple continents in a vintage Bentley, setting a record for single-handed endurance driving in the event. 

His work reflects a commitment to preserving and evolving historic motoring with the spirit of adventure. Bringing together leadership, organisation and first-hand experience, he offers a distinctive perspective on the enduring appeal of classic cars and long-distance rallying. His contribution promises a compelling addition to the conversations at Wilton House.