Cadillac is probably the most luxurious brand in the General Motors Group. So it is no wonder that the latest study also combines an elegant luxury class design with select materials. All Cadillac says about the technology is that the drive is electric.
The Sollei Concept derives its name from the Latin word for sun (sol) and the English word for leisure. It is apparently a very large, 2+2-seater convertible with two doors and a metal folding roof. The mechanics and the lustre of the metal roof can be seen in the following pictures.
The "imaginative design project" is intended to "push the boundaries of future customisation", writes the brand. So it's not about a planned production car, but rather about possibilities for individualisation. Cadillac Celestiq (2024) Similar look, but open: The Sollei Cadillac has now announced the Celestiq , a similarly large and similarly elegant electric car, albeit a saloon.
It is therefore possible that this is an open-top version of this saloon. As the Celestiq is already hand-built, Cadillac may just be saying with the Sollei that an open-top version is also feasible. In terms of appearance, Cadillac emphasises the long coupé-like side doors.
Together with the smooth surfaces and the stretched A-pillar (the very flat bar at the windscreen), they emphasise the length of the vehicle. The low rear is intended to create "dynamic yet elegant proportions". As with the Celestiq, a centre line runs from the headlights via the trim strip behind the front wings to the rear lights.
Discreet knobs are used instead of traditional door handles, keeping the surfaces smooth. The lowered rear is intended to embody dynamism and elegance The study is painted in Manila Cream, a colour that was already used by Cadillac in the 1950s. We would describe the colour as cream yellow - about the colour of custard, if that's not too profane.
The windscreen has a brushed aluminium frame. Inside, there is the brand-typical 55-inch giant screen that spans the entire width of the vehicle. There are also control consoles at the front and rear in the high centre console.
The displays of the Sollei can be guessed from this drawing The 55-inch screen in the Celestiq One of the special features is the bio-based material Fine Mycelium from specialist MycoWorks, which is used for the lining of the charging trays on the centre console and for the map pockets in the doors. The material is obtained from mycelium (the fine roots of fungi). Cadillac also uses traditional materials such as nappa leather or wood veneers with open-pored surfaces.
There is also an integrated drinks cooler with an electric glass door and crystal glasses. Probably also available with champagne glasses: the drinks cooler in the rear The Sollei also has special ambient lighting with several zones and 126 different colours in each zone. The accessories on offer for bird fans are quite special, including a case made of brushed metal and leather that contains objects made of acrylic glass ("3D printed acrylic bird calls").
These are apparently whistles or flutes that can be used to imitate bird calls. There is also a matching leather-bound book with hand-painted bird illustrations and a leather roll for pens and pencils to draw your feathered friends. Das sind offenbar die "3D printed acrylic bird calls" .
.. The concept was presented in the Cadillac House at Vanderbilt , a stylish building on the campus of GM's Global Technical Centre in Warren (Michigan), north of Detroit.
There you can also have your Celestiq customised to your own preferences. Cadillac has two electric models on the market so far: the five-metre SUV called Lyriq and the $300,000 (approx. £250,000) Celestiq saloon mentioned above.
Three more have been announced: the Optiq mid-size SUV, the seven-seater Escalade IQ SUV and its little brother Vistiq . More from Cadillac in the UK: The bottom line Cadillac really does want to return to the luxurious spheres for which the brand was once known. Not quite as luxurious as Rolls-Royce, perhaps, more along the lines of Mercedes with a dash of Maybach.
The Lyriq has even recently become available in Germany; prices start at €80,500 (£68,000)..
