Cadillac Sollei Concept – Restrained Elegance Or Wretched Excess?

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There was a time when Cadillac called itself “The Standard Of The World.” There was some justification for that rather grandiose claim. In 1908, it brought three cars to England, where they were disassembled, their component parts reshuffled, and then reassembled into three fully functioning automobiles. At that time, automobiles were mostly handmade devices with minor variations from one to another. The Royal Automobile Club was so amazed at how Cadillac was able to produce parts with such precision that they could be interchanged from one vehicle to another that it awarded the company its highest accolade, the Dewar Trophy, which was given each year “to the motor car which should successfully complete the most meritorious performance or test furthering the interests and advancement of the industry.”

As the automotive industry matured, Cadillac became a leader in automotive technology, introducing such wonders as the electric starter, the synchromesh transmission, the V-16 engine, and the overhead valve engine to the motoring public in America. For some, the most iconic Cadillac of all time was the 1959 tail-fin convertible that must have been the inspiration for Bruce Springsteen’s song Pink Cadillac.

The all new Cadillac Celestiq is a handcrafted battery-powered work of art built on the General Motors’ bespoke Ultium platform that seeks to reestablish the Cadillac brand as the standard of the world. When it was first revealed, we labelled it “an orgy of self-congratulation for the well-heeled.”

Now comes the Cadillac Sollei, which is for all intents and purposes the spiritual successor to a “tail-fin road locomotive” from sixty years ago. It has been shorn of its gargantuan appendages, but is otherwise the embodiment of the big, bold brash, “nothing exceeds like excess” cars of that bygone era. Sollei is a combination of “sol,” which is Latin for sun, and the first three letters of the word “leisure.” It could be argued that the French soleil would have been a more tasteful choice, but the marketing types at Cadillac just couldn’t resist the opportunity to be clever.

In bespoke Manila Cream, a color that harks back to a Cadillac factory color from the late ’50s, the Sollei looks like a lemon custard layer cake wafting down the road on its 23-inch chrome wheels. Technical details are irrelevant. It’s the same car as the Celestiq inside and out. What sets it apart, however, is the incredible attention to detail that went into designing the interior trim.

According to Car and Driver, virtually every surface not covered in leather — which matches the exterior — are acres of wood that has been left unstained to show off its natural color and open grain patterns. Each strip of wood is hand-cut and hand-laid using a furniture technique called marquetry. The paneling runs down the side of the cabin and up the rear of the seats in a pattern that has an Art Deco feel. It creates a beautiful focal point that draws the eye from the front doors to the console and into the rear compartment. For those not familiar with this woodworking technique, Wikipedia informs us the word is derived from the French “marqueter,” which means to variegate. It is the art and craft of applying pieces of veneer to a structure to form decorative patterns or designs.

In a press release, Cadillac says the Sollei “represents the ultimate design expression of a coach built luxury electric convertible. This imaginative design exercise pushes the boundaries of future bespoke commissions, tailored to reflect the unique passions and interests of its clientele.” The Sollei is nor just another car but rather an “optimistic inspiration for an open air, leisurely lifestyle.”

Erin Crossley, the design director for Cadillac, says, “Sollei reimagines the discovery of travel, envisioning a personalized driving experience that connects one with the natural world around them. The concept celebrates Cadillac’s pedigree of elegant convertibles in a modern form by cultivating high luxury through design expressions and experiences.” Crossley may be an excellent designer, but she is not much of a grammarian.

The exterior of the car exudes emotion and embodies Cadillac’s unmistakably bold proportion, the company says. The low, elongated body is accentuated by a wide stance and long coupe door, facilitating easy access to the spacious rear. In fact, Car and Driver points out that the enormous doors are more than 5 feet long. One presumes Cadillac has found out how to make hinges strong enough to handle the weight of the doors. Earlier examples of two-door convertibles from GM had an annoying habit of sagging after a few years of use.

The interior of the Sollei channels Cadillac’s “art of travel” design philosophy, elevating the travel experience for both the driver and the passenger. Features include a fully integrated beverage chiller with a power glass door and crystal glasses seamlessly blending leisure with travel. Every detail is intentionally designed to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary, we are told. Ambient lighting is featured in multiple zones, with a choice of 126 color options in each zone to evoke specific moods and personalize the interior ambiance.

The Sollei also offers the ne plus ultra accessory for birdwatching connoisseurs — a custom brushed metal and leather wrapped case that houses 3D-printed acrylic bird calls, a leather-bound journal with handpainted bird illustrations, and a leather tool roll for pens and pencils made to custom match the vehicle interior. The set is intended to allow enthusiasts to capture their birdwatching experiences while motoring. Be still our beating hearts!

The Sollei concept celebrates the optimism of travel and the celestial environment with its rich sensory engagement, unexpected discoveries, and sense of occasion. Sun-themed features are pronounced in its color, materials, and finishes:

Unique sunburst-themed lighting and graphic choreography
Sunburst motif perforation, quilting, and embroidery on seat patterns
Interior Fine Nappa leather featuring a pink iridescent pigment that creates a subtle color-changing sunrise effect
Charging mats on the console, door map pockets and custom accessories are made from MycoWorks’ premium bio-based material created using their Fine Mycelium^TM technology. This material is in an iridescent finish in a soft hue color palette.
Pink iridescent hue on the beverage chiller door and glass tray in the rear compartment that reveals different sunlight exposures
“Aurora” tint on primary metal finishes, which includes color shifting to reflect the phenomenon of the sun’s solar winds reacting with the earth’s atmosphere
Convertible metallic roof fabric called “Daybreak,” whose name ties to the functionality of the convertible roof — as the roof pulls back, sunlight can pour over the interior
Textured floormat material named “Bask,” a boucle fabric adding beautiful texture and subtle warmth, matching the color of the roof material, keeping the whole interior very light

The Takeaway

So how much does all this magnificence cost? The answer is, if you have to ask, you can’t afford it. The Celestiq sedan starts at $340,000. The convertible option will undoubtedly come at a substantial premium and will include a number of upgrades that will allow each car made — if any are actually made at all — to be personalized to the needs and tastes of the customer. In that regard, Cadillac may actually reinvigorate the coach-building trade that existed before Henry Ford brought the assembly line to prominence.

So open your checkbook, give the folks at Cadillac a call, and see if they might not consider building a Sollei for you. Odds are if enough people want one and are willing to pay the going rate, we might see a Sollei or two on the road some day in the not too distant future. Maybe The Boss will write a new song that says, “Honey we can park it out in the back and have a party in your lemon chiffon Cadillac.”