THE CADILLAC SOLLEI CONCEPT REVIVES THE GREAT AMERICAN CONVERTIBLE
It’s no secret that Cadillac is looking to recapture the image it once held atop the American luxury market. While the $340,000 Celestiq sedan marked the first serious step on that journey, the brand’s designers have been hard at work on the automaker’s latest jaw-dropper. Known as the Cadillac Sollei Concept, this massive two-door convertible, unveiled Monday, harks back to last century’s greatest Cadillac models.
While drop-tops have long been a key part of Cadillac’s image, the brand hasn’t actually sold a convertible in quite some time. Outside of the Corvette-based XLR with its retractable hard-top, Cadillac hasn’t offered a true convertible since 1976. And while the Sollei remains just a concept vehicle for now, it’s clear that we won’t have to wait another five decades for the next Cadillac without a roof. The open-air experience is at the very center of this design project, with the name itself being a portmanteau of “sol” and “leisure”. (It’s pronounced like Cirque du Soleil). Senior Vice President of Global Design Michael Simcoe went as far as to acknowledge the lasting expectation of a high-end convertible Caddy among clients.
The concept itself is a running vehicle, based on the brand’s Ultium platform that also underpins the Celestiq. In fact, the Sollei shares nearly everything with the sedan ahead of the A-pillars. Like the production sedan, the Sollei is a large machine, but its proportions are more traditional. The overhangs are much shorter than the Celestiq’s, eliminating that ungainly rear end. Gigantic 68-inch doors provide access to the cabin’s four seats, and fill out the entire center section of the car. The bodywork on this particular example is made from a mix of carbon fiber and fiberglass, with a focus on minimalist shapes.
“Not a lot of designers can have the opportunity to do something like this,” Lead Exterior Designer Takahiko Suginoshita told R&T. “It’s a once in a while type of project. So when I was told about the project, I was super excited. Of course Cadillac has this heritage, so we wanted to make sure that we kept true to that heritage, but while still looking towards the future. What was our next step? I think with the styling there is more concentration too. We want clean and minimal design so that we can embrace all of the details.”
The exterior detail work begins at the nose, which features bespoke “sunburst” lighting elements. The rear lights also borrow this theme, and are one of the clear design highlights of the exterior. The metalwork throughout is all genuine, finished in a unique Aurora tint. These elements were chosen over the brand’s more traditional “chrome” accents—a material that's currently being phased out at other manufacturers, like Stellantis. There's no trace of plastic throughout the entire concept, fitting of its place atop the lineup. The massive 23-inch wheels sure look like chrome, however, tying back to the brand’s peak in the 1950s. Even the Manila Cream exterior hue is pulled right from the brand’s 1958 catalog. The color is represented as it was, without the addition of any modern flake.
The same can’t be said for the yellow Nappa leather interior, which features a pink iridescent pigment in the finish. This supposedly allows for some shifting hues under different lighting, reminiscent of the colors of the sunset. Of course it might be hard to notice that detail with all of the gorgeous woodwork surrounding you. The Sollei features five different hand-cut wood veneers across the doors, seatbacks, and console surfaces. The pattern itself is based on the sun and brings a genuine art-deco vibe to the interior. It looks extremely expensive, but it’s something we’d love to see find its way into a production Cadillac. You’ll also find a bespoke drink cooler with Sollei-specific glassware, which features the same pink pigment as the seats. Jumping on the current popularity of bird watching, Caddy has also fitted the Sollei with a set of bespoke bird calls, complete with curated paintings of different avian varieties. That’s certainly a feature you aren’t going to find in the Spectre. The electronics are borrowed from the Celestiq, but the 55-inch screen does come with bespoke graphics for the concept.
While the Sollei is not currently slated to enter production, the car will be headed to the lawn at Pebble Beach later this summer. Cadillac will surely hear from many of the event’s wealthy patrons, as this thing is truly striking in person. Cadillac’s executives have clearly stated that they are no longer interested in chasing Mercedes-Benz or BMW, and this concept is a great step in that direction. The name Cadillac is more likely to conjure up images of an Eldorado Biarritz than a CT5-V, so perhaps it's finally time to head back to the era of drop-top Caddys.