Bentley GTC too meh? Behold the Cadillac Sollei
We wondered what Cadillac would follow up the 600hp Celestiq with - now we (probably) know...
Hands up if you remember the Cadillac Celestiq? Oh well done you - the firm’s 2022 entrant into the all-electric ultra-luxury niche may not have made tsunami-sized waves in the Old World, but in its domestic market it was very much intended to reassert Cadillac’s place as the ‘Standard of the World’. Ambitious? Certainly. And so was the price, which wasn’t confirmed at the time because the whole point was that each example would be commissioned personally, but was expected to be north of 300,000 dollars.
Two years on, Cadillac is keen to stress that it’s not done with the concept of bespoke luxury vehicles. Not by a long shot. The Sollei (Sol for sun, Lei for leisure) is very much a concept vehicle, but its maker is doubtless pushing ‘the boundaries of future bespoke commissions, tailored to reflect the unique passions and interests of its clientele’ in the hope that said clientele will promptly imagine themselves driving a colossal 2+2 convertible EV.
And why not? The Rolls-Royce Spectre has already handsomely proved what’s possible with the format - albeit with a fixed roof - and shares many of the same attributes (including a starting price well beyond £300k). Being a concept, Cadillac hasn’t divulged much technical detail, but the internet reckons that the Sollei is identical to the Celestiq forward of the A-pillar and shares the same platform and 600hp powertrain.
Aft of the A-pillar, save for its 55-inch, dash-spanning display, it is obviously very different. Those doors reportedly exceed five feet in length and do without conventional handles (there are buttons on the aluminium ring that encompasses the cabin). As you might expect, the Sollei is flush with natty design details including a fully integrated beverage chiller with a power glass door and crystal glasses, acres of open-pore timber and genuine metal finish, and there’s even a leather-wrapped case that houses 3D printed acrylic bird calls alongside a leather-bound journal to record your sightings (seriously).
“Sollei reimagines the discovery of travel, envisioning a personalized driving experience that connects one with the natural world around them,” said Erin Crossley, design director, Cadillac. Needless to say, some of this probably qualifies as concept car confetti, yet there’s not too much about the Sollei which doesn’t seem ready for hand-built, very low-volume production. Cadillac even revived a special yellow paint for the job - Manila Cream - said to have last been used in the ‘50s.
Indeed, while the car is obviously meant to be progressive and daring in its appearance (yes, those are 23-inch aluminium wheels) it is also said to be inspired by Cadillacs of the past - which we must assume includes the famously vast Eldorado. You’ll need to squint a bit to see one, of course - but with Sollei officially unveiled at the firm’s newly restored, state-of-the-art Cadillac House facility, you can be sure the manufacturer is hoping for much more than inquisitive looks from people who’ve turned up to spec a Celestiq.
That’s why all the photos are of the back and sides.
Wurlitzer called, they want their 1957 jukebox back.
I can't honestly think of any other reason why you would say this
k it, why not? It’s a Cadillac.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff