The first right-hand drive Jaguar E-Type Fixed Head Coupé ever made has been driven to its maximum on Germany’s autobahn in an attempt to match its 150mph record speed.

E-Type chassis 860001, which was restored in the early 2000s by Shropshire-based Classic Motor Cars Limited (CMC), hit 146mph on the autobahn while attempting to mimic an achievement set in 1961 in Belgium.

Prepared again by CMC for the event to mark Octane magazine’s 150th issue, the car was driven by British Hill Climb Champion David Franklin.

David said: “I saw 146mph and it was still accelerating when I had to back off because of cars and lorries in the distance. When you’re travelling at that speed you have to err on the side of caution. You’re catching other traffic up quite quickly and you have to remember that there’s no ABS, although the brakes felt strong and progressive. It would comfortably have reached 150mph. Of that I have absolutely no doubt.”

In 1961, weekly magazine Autocar took an E-Type to Belgium for a high speed test, looking to assess Jaguar’s claim that a standard road-going E-type could achieve 150mph. The claim was validated in a historic road test, and Octane ventured to recreate the event using a similar car – albeit modified slightly from the 1960s spec.

For safety’s sake, nothing could be left to chance with the preparation of the Jaguar E-Type since the demands of running such a car at 150mph are very different from those required at half that speed.

For this occasion, the team at CMC went through the car with lots of attention to detail, fitting new wheels and Avon CR6 ZZ tyres and checking every mechanical element.

The car’s engine was even dyno-tested on a rolling road and a higher capacity fuel pump was installed as well.