This is the “Shaguar” that was used in all three of the Austin Powers films, memorably driven by Mike Myers and featuring in several key scenes throughout the trilogy.
The Shaguar is a 1967 Jaguar E-Type with a fully-body Union Jack paint job. The car is a Series 1 E-Type, it’s one of the final cars from 1967 which were made without the glass headlight covers. It’s now being offered for the first time in almost 15 years.
Fast Facts – The Austin Powers “Shaguar”
- The “Shaguar” is a 1967 Jaguar E-Type Series 1 that featured prominently in all three Austin Powers films, serving as a parody counterpart to James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5. It featured a striking Union Jack paint job and became an iconic symbol of the films’ 1960s-inspired humor and style.
- The Austin Powers trilogy, created by Mike Myers, parodied spy films with absurd humor and memorable characters like Dr. Evil, Goldmember, Fat Bastard, and Mini-Me. Spanning from 1997 to 2002, the series achieved box-office success and remains a beloved cultural touchstone for its campy charm and pop culture references.
- Powered by a 4.2 liter Jaguar XK straight-six engine paired with a 4-speed manual transmission, the Shaguar was restored by Jaguar in the mid-2000s and has been part of a private collection, occasionally loaned for events, since the completion of the films.
- The Shaguar is now being publicly sold for the first time in years, set to go to auction with Mecum on January 18th in Kissimmee, Florida. It presents a rare opportunity to own a piece of cinematic and automotive history.
History Speedrun: The Austin Powers Films
The Austin Powers films are a series of three comedy movies that parody classic spy films, particularly the long-running James Bond franchise, while blending absurd humor, campy characters, and 1960s pop culture.
Above Video: There are few comedy films from this era that had more of a cultural impact than Austin Powers. The film was being quoted by everyone, and it remains a highly-quotable film today.
The series was created by Mike Myers, who stars as both the title character and the main antagonists: Dr. Evil, Goldmember, and “Fat Bastard.” The films were a major commercial and box office success and remain beloved for their outrageous humor, memorable quotes, and memorable characters.
Rumors abound that another Austin Powers film will be made, and it’s known that scripts in various stages of completion have been written. Myers has occasionally hinted that he’s open to revisiting the Austin Powers character if the right idea comes along.
In 2020, Myers told The Hollywood Reporter that the idea of doing another film had been discussed over the years, but no concrete plans had yet materialized.
The Austin Powers Trilogy
The first film in the series was Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery and it debuted in 1997. The plot centered around swinging 1960s British spy Austin Powers being cryogenically frozen, then thawed out in the 1990s to stop his nemesis, Dr. Evil, who has also been revived.
Dr. Evil threatens the world with a doomsday device, and Austin, with the help of agent Vanessa Kensington, must stop him while adapting to more politically correct modern culture.
The next film would be Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, released in 1999. In this film Dr. Evil returns with a plot to steal Austin’s “mojo,” the source of his charm and energy, by traveling back to the 1960s.
Austin must time travel to retrieve it while teaming up with the spirited CIA agent Felicity Shagwell. Meanwhile, Dr. Evil hatches another evil plan involving a giant “laser” on the moon and introduces his mini-clone, Mini-Me. The film doubles down on absurd humor and borderline outrageous antics.
The Shaguar is arguably the most famous Jaguar E-Type in the world, and it’s instantly recognizable to the countless millions of people who saw the Austin Powers films – even those who aren’t car buffs.In the year 2002 the final film in the series, Austin Powers in Goldmember, was released. In this film, Austin faces Dr. Evil and the eccentric Dutch villain Goldmember (both played by Myers), who join forces to kidnap Austin’s father, famed spy Nigel Powers (played by Michael Caine).
The adventure spans time and continents, with Austin uncovering secrets about his past. Along the way, he teams up with old flame Foxxy Cleopatra (played by Beyoncé), a sassy 1970s super-agent. The film features cameos, musical numbers, and irreverent humor while wrapping up many of the series’ recurring gags and storylines.
The Austin Powers “Shaguar” Jaguar E-Type
In the films Austin Powers had a car to rival the Aston Martin DB5 used by James Bond – a 1967 Series 1 Jaguar E-Type Roadster. This car was called the Shaguar throughout the three films, for obvious reasons, and it was finished in Blue with a Union Jack emblazoned over the top.
Just one Shaguar was made for the films, and the same car was used in all three outings – the one you see in this article. The good news is that it’s now being offered for sale.
The car was given a restoration by Jaguar in the mid-2000s, after the last Austin Powers film finished filming, and it’s been held in a private collection since then. The owner has loaned it out to Jaguar on occasion, as they have used it for a number of special events.
Above Video: This is a piece on the Austin Powers Shaguar that tells the story of the car, and gives context to how important it is as a plot point through the three films.
As you would expect, the car is powered by a 4.2 liter Jaguar XK straight-six and it’s mated to a 4-speed manual transmission. It has a wood-rimmed steering wheel, a wooden gear knob, and a Blue interior.
The Shaguar is now being offered for public sale for the first time in many years. It’s due to roll across the auction block with Mecum on January 18th in Kissimmee, Florida and you can visit the listing here if you’d like to read more about it or register to bid.
Images courtesy of Mecum
Articles that Ben has written have been covered on CNN, Popular Mechanics, Smithsonian Magazine, Road & Track Magazine, the official Pinterest blog, the official eBay Motors blog, BuzzFeed, Autoweek Magazine, Wired Magazine, Autoblog, Gear Patrol, Jalopnik, The Verge, and many more.
Silodrome was founded by Ben back in 2010, in the years since the site has grown to become a world leader in the alternative and vintage motoring sector, with well over a million monthly readers from around the world and many hundreds of thousands of followers on social media.
