Lots of talk of Jaguar in recent days, no? The ailing brand has just revealed a concept car that portends an entirely new, way upscale, all-electric future. All this change on the horizon has many of us a little worried. The legendary British marque needs a miracle to pull off a true revival.
Keen for a Jaguar-flavoured distraction, perhaps? How about a film-famous version of arguably the most iconic Jaguar ever, the E-Type?
Behold, the Shaguar. Yes, baby, the one from Austin Powers. It’s listed for Mecum’s January 2025 auction in Kissimmee, Florida; according to the catalogue, there were no double cars for the film, so the Union Jack-clad 1967 Jaguar E-Type seen here is the exact car that appeared in all three films – Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, and Austin Powers in Goldmember.
While Mike Myers obviously stole the show playing a spoof-tastic British spy (not to mention a host of other characters that includes his own arch-nemesis, Dr. Evil) the Shaguar ushered itself into cinema immortality all on its own.
According to Mecum’s listing, the car has been part of a private collection since the film series ended in 2002. Since then, it has made a number of high-profile appearances, starring alongside Madonna in her music video for “Beautiful Stranger” (which also featured Mike Myers) and occasionally appearing at Jaguar Land Rover company events.
The car has a manufacture date of 8 December 1967, and the body code denotes that it was originally painted Opalescent Silver Blue and fitted with a blue convertible top and a dark blue interior. Power comes from a 4.2-litre inline-six engine paired with a four-speed manual transmission – exactly how these came from the factory.
It’s kind of sweet to think that Myers’ character rocked a three-pedal setup. Beyond the red and blue paint scheme, one of our favourite touches is the new rear decklid emblem proudly touting the car’s tongue-in-cheek name.
The listing notes a restoration performed by Jaguar Land Rover in the mid-2000s and a more recent “comprehensive mechanical update,” which leads us to believe this kitty will be ready to cruise from the get-go.
Included in the sale are letters of authentication from Josh Hancock, the man behind casting an E-Type for Powers’ chariot of choice, and Ray Claridge, the owner of Cinema Vehicle Services, the firm that prepared and maintained the car for all the films.
It’s hard to think of a better example of good casting for a non-human element in a film series. The Austin Powers movies were perfect caricatures of ’60s spy films, and the Shaguar is the perfect caricature of the swinging British ’60s culture with which the films are so intertwined. If you’re on the hunt for one of pop culture’s most iconic cars, then oh, behave, Austin’s Shaguar might just be for you.
