Mark Dollery was born and educated on the Isle of Wight – during his school years, his favourite subjects were English, Art and Drama. A lifelong car enthusiast, he has been continuously involved with the motor trade since the age of 13, when he began part-time work at his local garage, which specialised in buying, selling and repairing used Jaguars. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, he worked as a trader, focusing on TVR sports cars alongside the well-known TVR guru David Foster.

In the late 1990s, he returned to his love of drama, studying the subject in detail and performing in several stage productions with a local drama group on the Island. In 2006, after owning most of the post-war Jaguar models and acquiring his first XJ40, he joined the Isle of Wight-based Jaguar Enthusiasts Club, writing several articles for them about the marque. Around the same time, he purchased his first E-Type, a V12 2-plus-2 model, which he considers to be the best-driving E-Type of all.

Having studied Jaguar models in depth since the mid-1970s, he decided to write a comprehensive book about his favourite and much-loved model – the E-Type. He still resides on the Isle of Wight with his wife and son, both of whom have given him their wholehearted support throughout the writing of this detailed work that reflects a lifelong passion for this exceptional car.