Volkswagen Brand Ambassador Ewan McGregor Flirts With Classic And Vintage Automobiles

Ewan McGregor states that he is not a collector but a car geek who is more into the history of automobiles rather than just showing off some expensive ultra-luxury cars. He would pick a retro VW over a Maybach or a modern Rolls-Royce on any day of the week. The Scottish actor buys vintage and classic cars and then works on them to turn them into something more special. Although he loves sports cars and muscle cars the brand ambassador of Volkswagen is lenient towards the German brand. Ewan is also a big fan of motorcycles and he has quite a few in his arsenal.

13. 1962 Volkswagen Beetle

Ewan McGregor’s first-ever Beetle was a 1962 model which came in mint green. The years, however, have not been kind to the exterior color of the Volkswagen Beetle and turned it into a tin can covered in rust. The car was fine and Ewan drove it on many occasions till he sent it to the auctions in 2016. 

The Scottish actor had some personal attachment to his first Beetle and he later tried to buy it. Luck was not on his side as he couldn’t find the car he once owned. This is really heartbreaking since Ewan even washed dishes at a restaurant to come up with the money for his first Beetle.

12. 1954 Volkswagen Beetle

Ewan has multiple VW Beetles but the most famous of them is the 1954 model. He bought the blue Volkswagen Beetle in 2009 for £22,000 ($28,790) but used it almost on a regular basis. Unfortunately, the Beetle once broke down in the middle of L.A. traffic raising questions about its old powertrain. 

The actor is famous for working on his cars himself but changing the powertrain might have been too much for him. So he asked for some help from the guys at EV West. the electric motor store from California converted the Flat-4 engine to an electric powertrain. The transformation cost the actor around £30,000 ($39,360) and it was worth it.

11. 1937 Wolseley 10/40

Ewan’s passion and pure love for old classics are shown as he owns a rare vintage 4-door sedan from Britain. The 1937 Wolseley 10/40 is one of the oldest cars in his collection and the Scottish actor is all-in for 30s cars. 

Ewan McGregor played a family man in the 2018 movie Christopher Robin and he drove the Wolseley in that film. He was so pleased with the driving experience that he ultimately ended up owning the Robbin family car. He also modified it a little, keeping it as original as possible.

10. 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible

Ewan admitted that his first proper car was a Ford Mustang which he came across in 2000 while shooting for the movie Moulin Rogue. There was a crew member who used to park his Mustang in front of his trailer. McGregor assumed that it was done so to lure him into buying the 1972 fastback. 

However, he ended up buying a different Ford muscle car. It was a 1965 Ford Mustang Convertible which he fell in love with in Sydney. Ewan bought the Vanilla colored car and shipped it back to Britain. 

9. 2006 Porsche 718 Cayman

The only exception in Ewan McGregor’s vintage car collection is the Porsche 718 Cayman. He is known for having cars from old age but the 2006 Cayman is a new leaf in his automobile lineup. The Cayman first came into the market and impressed the automobile industry with its robust performance and aerodynamic stature. 

The compact luxury coupe offers sporty driving attributes with a luxurious interior. Ewan admitted in an interview that the Porsche 718 Cayman was his first-ever sports car and he just fell in love with its driving experience. In fact, courtesy of the Porsche 718, the actor has been looking for more Porsches so he got himself another one.

8. 1972 Porsche 911T Targa

McGregor doesn’t call himself a collector but every now and then he swaps out his cars and goes for new ones. The 1970 Porsche 911T Targa is one that he bought to Bring a Trailer in 2023. The classic semi-convertible was stored in the late 70s and he got it in 2020. 

The black Porsche comes with a stainless-steel silver Targa bar and the interior is black leatherette and Pepita fabric. McGregor repainted the front fender and the wheels wear 185/70 Vredestein Sprint Classic tires with factory-equipped ventilated disc brakes. Ewan’s 911T Targa is also equipped with replacement speakers and a Porsche Classic radio.

7. 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II

Remember the star-studded 2015 movie Mmortdecai? Ewan McGregor played the role of Inspector Martland who, in one scene, had to drive Johnny Depp and Gwyneth Paltrow around in a 1960 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud II. 

The luxury sedan made him mesmerized by its beauty and as soon as he got back home, he bought himself the same 1960 Rolls-Royce model. Ewan is so much in love with that car that he even takes his kids to school in the Silver Cloud. That’s an insanely beautiful car so we guess his kids love it too. 

6. 1927 Buick Master Six Sedan

The oldest car that Ewan McGregor has ever owned is a 1927 Buick Master Six Sedan. The classic has been the reason for embarrassment for the Scot on multiple occasions. The inline-6 engine was famous for overheating and the non-synchronous gearbox really gave him a hard time. 

Ewan recalls a specific incident when he was trying to move uphill in the classic Buick and it just couldn’t make it up the incline. Disappointed with the performance Ewan finally sold it on a BaT auction in 2021 for $28,000. The steel blue paint and the black roof looked good on the sedan, but its only use is showcasing.

5. 1969 Aston Martin DBS

The 1969 Aston Martin DBS was made famous by the 007 movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service which came out the same year. The 2-door coupe is one of the most desirable grand tourers because of both its performance and looks. Ewan’s DBS was among the earliest models which means he settled for the inline-6 as the larger 5.3L V8 was introduced later. 

However, McGregor didn’t hold on to this classic beauty despite it giving him a good time. He already had his eyes on another VW and to make space for it, he ended up selling the Aston Martin and he jokingly admitted of it being an odd trade.

4. 1967 VW Westfalia Camper

The car that replaced Ewan’s Aston Martin was the 1967 split-windshield VW Westfalia Camper. This is another family car from our beloved Obi-Wan Kenobi and he has had not one, but two VW Westfalia Campers. Reports suggest that he still owns both the Camper vans and often takes his family out on them.

The Volkswagen van is a classic that you can use for both cargo and passenger transport and Ewan’s mint green and white Westfalia is decorated like a tiny home on wheels with curtains on the windows. The other one is gray with white highlights and both of them look exceptional. 

3. 1962 MG MGA 1600 Mk II

Ewan also had an MGA in the past and the matte gray Roadster was an absolute stunner. Morris Garage started the production of the open-top MGA models in 1955 and the one Ewan had in his possession is from 1962. 

The MGA 1600 Mk II comes with a red interior in contrast with the exterior and the two-seater is perceived as one of the most refined models from the MGA production line. Despite the excitement of driving the MGA and its well-furnished interior, Ewan listed it on eBay a few years ago. The current ownership details have not been disclosed.

2. 2010 Toyota Sienna

The Volkswagen vans aren’t the only family cars that Ewan has been so fond of. At one point he owned a Toyota Sienna as well. He shared in an interview that while other celebrities would get to fancy restaurants in their exclusive vehicles, the McGregor family would pull up with a white Toyota minivan.

The whole incident was quite funny for Ewan and he was thoroughly happy with the practicality of the Sienna. Given the space inside and the admirable fuel economy, we would definitely agree with the actor. However, the Sienna isn’t in his garage anymore.

1. 1960 Volkswagen T1 Transporter pickup

Alongside the bug and the vans, reports suggest that he also owns a Volkswagen pickup truck. The vintage truck is the 1960 VW T1 Transporter Pickup and it comes with one of the largest beds in the history of pickup trucks. 

The single cab was used mostly for the transportation of groceries and other goods so it’s seemingly useless for the actor. However, considering his love of vintage cars and his leniency towards VW vehicles, a T1 Transporter does not seem to be that odd of a choice for Ewan McGregor. 

Ewan McGregor’s Rat Rods

For the uninitiated, rat rods are a subclass of the famous hot rods. However, the rat rods are less popular than their superclass counterparts and face a lot of controversies as well. The vehicles are meant to imitate the looks and performance of the hot rods and Ewan has two of them. 

One of his rat rods comes with a 1920 Dodge frame and is powered by a straight-6 engine from a GMC truck. The other rat rod, in Ewan’s own words, is a ridiculously slammed 1927 Ford Tudor. And in the heart of the Tudor, there is a Nailhead V8 engine from Buick. However, Ewan has never displayed his slammed cars nor has he ever been photographed riding them. According to Hagerty, the actor is planning to get rid of his rat rods since they are a lot of trouble and he has to make way for new vehicles as well. 

Ewan McGregor’s first love

Today, Ewan is so much into cars but he was far more attracted to bikes in his youth. His first bike was a 1978 Moto Guzzi T3 and then he got a Ducati as well. However, McGregor had some difficulties with the sliding and lock-up with the latter but after he got a grip on that, he went for some Spanish Ossa dirt bikes. Some reports state that Ewan McGregor’s car collection is overshadowed by his arsenal of motorcycles. 

He has bought and sold multiple bikes through the years and some of the most notable among them are a 1974 Eldorado Police Bike, a 1980 Honda Gold Wing, an R1150GS and an R1200GS from BMW, 3 Moto Guzzi models namely, a V7 Sport, a V11 Sport and a V11 Le Mans Tenni, along with a Harley-Davidson LiveWire. However, the actor has never disclosed the entire list but Ewan McGregor’s bike collection is definitely among the best among Hollywood celebrities. 

Next big plan for Ewan McGregor’s car collection

Two years ago Ewan McGregor revealed his future plan about buying a Volkswagen ID. Buzz. He stated that he has had his eyes on the Buzz for quite some time and would really like to buy it soon. Ewan even visited the commercial vehicle plant of Volkswagen in Hanover, Germany. 

However, the Star Wars actor also mentioned that in order to buy the VW ID. Buzz he first needs to sell some of his cars. When asked which cars he would get rid of, the rat rods were the obvious choice as they have been too much trouble for him.