Cadillac SOLLEI Concept journeys on to the higher reaches of the auto market

Cadillac’s current impulse is to return to a golden age of coachbuilding, a destiny demonstrated by the announcement of the Cadillac Celestique EV and the accompanying restoration and renovation of the Eero Saarinen-designed Cadillac House at Vanderbilt, in Warren, Michigan.

An up-to-the-minute blend of refreshed midcentury design and contemporary digital culture, Cadillac House is where potential clients are encouraged to visit and specify their Celestiq in a series of one-to-one design sessions.

The arrival of the SOLLEI Concept hints that the Cadillac range will be growing in the very near future. This is another mighty machine, very much in the tradition of the Harley Earl-era Cadillacs of the 1950s and 1960s that established the benchmark scales and opulence of America’s equivalent to Rolls-Royce.

SOLLEI, slightly disappointingly, is a conflation of ‘Sol’ and ‘Leisure’, a word that doesn’t quite have the same upmarket spin in Europe as it does in the US. When faced with the concept’s opulence and specifications, however, such quibbles quickly face. The car is mighty, with every element scaled up to match the aspirations of modern ultra-luxury.

From the 55in screen that stretches the full width of the dashboard, to the elaborate inlaid wood on the doors and seat backs, every facet of the SOLLEI has been designed to impress and intrigue. Shown in a pale lemon yellow (known as ‘Manila Cream’) with matching leather and light wood interior, the concept is a full-sized four-seater that maintains the classic proportions of grand Americana despite the all-electric drivetrain.

Innovative material choices include a bio-based material for the door pockets and charging mats derived from mushroom roots, as well as unstained wood veneer marquetry in a sunburst pattern and milled brushed aluminium. Every facet of the concept helps showcase the abilities and options offered up by the Cadillac design team, like the crystal glasses and chiller cabinet included in the rear console.

There are also welcome touches of true concept car eccentricity, like the bespoke bird-watching kit that includes ‘3D printed acrylic bird calls’, whatever those are, presumably inspired by the sounds of nature one might hear from within a silent, open-topped vehicle.

‘SOLLEI reimagines the discovery of travel, envisioning a personalised driving experience that connects one with the natural world around them,’ says Cadillac’s design director, Erin Crossley. ‘The concept celebrates Cadillac’s pedigree of elegant convertibles in a modern form by cultivating high luxury through design expressions and experiences.’

Cadillac SOLLEI, concept only, Cadillac.com, @Cadillac