A red, white and blue 1965 Chevrolet Corvette is difficult to overlook even without a Hollywood résumé. Add a starring role alongside Heather Graham in one of the biggest comedy sequels of the late 1990s, and anonymity becomes essentially impossible.
This particular C2 Corvette played Felicity Shagwell’s patriotic ride in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me. Its American flag paint scheme and “CIA 1” license plate made it the natural counterpart to Austin Powers’ famous Union Jack-covered Jaguar E-Type.
Carlisle Auctions is now offering the actual 1965 Corvette used in the 1999 movie, with the car scheduled to cross the block during its Fall Carlisle Collector Car Auction in October. The sale gives collectors a chance to acquire a recognizable piece of movie history that also happens to be a desirable classic Corvette underneath.
Its time on the big screen is only part of the story, too. The Corvette went on to appear in another piece of 1990s pop culture and comes with documentation tracing its life after filming ended.
This Was Felicity Shagwell’s Corvette
Heather Graham drove the Corvette while playing CIA agent Felicity Shagwell in the second Austin Powers movie. The car wears a full Stars and Stripes exterior treatment, contrasting with a white interior and the original-style “CIA 1” Washington, D.C. plate used with the car.
Unlike movie vehicles that survive with questionable histories, this Corvette comes with substantial documentation. Carlisle says the sale includes a letter of authenticity from New Line Cinema along with the original bill of sale documenting its transfer from the studio to Decipher, Inc.
Warren Holland, then CEO of gaming company Decipher, purchased the Corvette in July 1999. It subsequently toured the country as part of promotional activities surrounding an Austin Powers collectible card game.
Lenny Kravitz Gave It Another Starring Role
The Corvette’s entertainment career wasn’t limited to the movie. Carlisle says it also appeared in the official music video for Lenny Kravitz’s 1999 cover of “American Woman,” which was recorded for The Spy Who Shagged Me soundtrack.
Since then, the car has made appearances at automotive events and in various publications. Its résumé includes the Chip’s Choice display at Corvettes at Carlisle in 2010 and Mid America Motorworks’ Corvette Funfest in Illinois.
Memorabilia pictured with the car is also included in the auction. Combined with the New Line Cinema documentation and original “CIA 1” plate, the supporting material helps preserve the story behind its distinctive appearance.
Underneath The Flag Paint Is A Proper C2
Movie provenance aside, the Corvette itself has plenty going for it. Carlisle lists a matching-numbers 327-cubic-inch V8 paired with a four-speed manual transmission, along with power steering and power brakes.
The car also features an AM/FM radio and underwent a frame-off restoration by Dixie Corvettes between 2007 and 2008. According to the auction listing, it has traveled only about 7,000 miles since that work was completed and is described as mechanically excellent.
That makes this something considerably different from a movie prop built only to look convincing on camera. Beneath the unmistakable patriotic paintwork is a genuine midyear Corvette with the classic small-block V8 and four-speed combination.
Could It Follow The Shaguar’s Huge Sale?
Carlisle hasn’t provided an auction estimate for the Corvette, leaving its movie premium for bidders to decide. The listing does, however, point toward another famous Austin Powers vehicle as evidence of how valuable recognizable Hollywood machinery can become.
The Union Jack-covered 1967 Jaguar E-Type known as the “Shaguar” sold for nearly $900,000 at auction, according to Carlisle. Whether Felicity Shagwell’s Corvette can inspire anything approaching that result remains to be seen.
Its combination of C2 desirability and documented Hollywood history should at least make the bidding interesting when it crosses the block. Even without machine guns, ejector seats, or other spy-car gadgets, a Stars and Stripes Corvette wearing “CIA 1” is unlikely to disappear quietly into anyone’s collection.