Borrow a Rolls-Royce…
You can borrow Dorothy if you’ve an idea that creates many moments per mile…
Ask to borrow her here…
Dorothy - 1963 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III
Dorothy first came into our lives on Formula 1 race day at Silverstone. We met her owner, Alastair Caldwell, McLaren's championship winning team manager in the 70s, who tossed us the keys. She ended up on the track. It caused a lot of trouble. Alastair got banned from the BRDC, simply for lending the car. But it showed us something. A 1963 Rolls-Royce with no business being on an F1 track made more people smile that day than anything doing 200mph.
Alastair later sold her to us, on the condition we keep her doing good, having fun. He was never precious about her and neither are we. She's meant to be used.
She's a 1963 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III. 6230cc, 8 cylinders. The engine was rebuilt by Alastair himself.
Alastair never meant to buy her. He went to an auction in Naples, Florida looking for a big American convertible. He didn't even think a Rolls was appropriate for someone like him. The car found him anyway. He's loved it ever since. He quickly discovered her superpower. As he put it, this Rolls used to get me anywhere, regardless of whether I had a ticket or not.
Then he rallied her across the world. He took his mother Dorothy as navigator. She was 94. Together they drove the TransAm rally from New York to Alaska, 18,000 miles in 8 weeks, finishing 5th overall and 1st in class. Dorothy senior won the Spirit of the Rally award, a standing ovation, and a Guinness World Record as the world's oldest active rally navigator.
Berlin to Moscow. Full length of China. The Road to Mandalay through Malaysia, Thailand and Burma. That last one was Dorothy's favourite.
Dorothy once called Alastair and said darling, let's take part in this rally in New Zealand, can you ship the Rolls over. He remembered thinking he could rent a hundred Rolls-Royces in New Zealand for what it would cost to ship this one there and back. But she opened with darling and he adored her, so he sent the car. She passed away aged 103.
Dorothy is Car Diem's flagship. Her job is to maximize moments per mile. She goes to weddings, charity convoys, road trips, film shoots and war zones, because that’s the kind of car she is.
How it works…
Dorothy can come with a driver or you can drive her yourself. If you drive, you'll need to arrange your own insurance and we'll need to see proof before handover.
She's checked in and out each time. We ask for a small deposit. If she comes back with more than the usual wear and tear, we'll have a conversation.
What does it cost? It depends on who you are and what you're doing.
Charity events and high-exposure opportunities are often free. Weddings and commercial bookings are paid. Personal adventures sit somewhere in between.
If you're an influencer or content creator with reach, we'd love to hear from you. Dorothy is photogenic and she knows it.
We're not trying to make money from Dorothy. We're trying to keep her on the road, looked after, and doing as much good as possible. Everything she earns goes back into housing, insuring, and maintaining her and the other Car Diem vehicles and we don’t aim to profit.
For weddings and events, she's available with a driver in the Cotswolds/Oxfordshire area and Devon/Cornwall.
We expect anyone who borrows Dorothy to share at least one photo and tag Car Diem. More stories and shares, the better.