This stunning Cadillac Sollei concept simply has to get made

  • The Sollei is Cadillac’s latest concept
  • Its name is a mix of the Latin words for sun and leisure
  • Whether or not this beautiful car will be made remains to be seen

Published on Jul 23, 2024 at 7:02 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson

Last updated on Jul 23, 2024 at 7:03 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Tom Wood

The Cadillac Sollei concept blends modern technology and century-old automobiles.

The car’s name is also a blend – a mix of the Latin word for sun ‘sol’ and leisure ‘lei’.

That more or less sums up what this car is all about.

Just look at it – it’s gorgeous.

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The Cadillac we all hope gets built

The concept makes use of those classic Cadillac lighting elements, which adorn the front and back of the car.

Its color is another throwback to the brand, as it is decked out in Manila Cream, first used from 1957 to 1958.

Put another way, this car would essentially be a convertible version of the Celestiq.

That $340,000 beauty was built on General Motors’ historic Tech Center Campus just north of Detroit, Michigan.

Both vehicles would have the same length, wheelbase and electric propulsion system.

But for now, the car remains a concept.

Will it actually get built?

The future of the Sollei

According to Cadillac’s vice president, John Roth: “Today it is a design exploration.”

GM’s head of design Michael Simcoe reiterated: “This is a concept. Anything is possible, but at the moment this is just a concept.”

So, as it currently stands, it has fallen into a grey area between yes and no.

But for now, the car’s main role will be to feature in private events for potential buyers at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in August.

The lucky few who get to see it in person are in for a treat.

Inside the car’s cabin is a 55-inch touchscreen and crystal glasses inside the beverage chiller.

Another screen is positioned upfront in between the driver and passenger.

The interior also has wood veneer, up to 126 colors in ambient lighting and Nappa leather.

Erin Crossley, Cadillac’s design director, said it best: “The vehicle is represented by the sun, travel and leisure.”

The car comes with a case that has a list of 3D-printed bird calls (presented as glass whistles) and a travel journal.

The Sollei follows in the footsteps – or should we say, tire tracks? – of other Cadillac cars, such as the Ciel convertible in 2011 and the Elmiraj in 2013.

However, these cars never became a reality.

For now, the future of the Sollei remains unclear.

Let’s face it, whether or not the car becomes a reality – Cadillacs are straight up cool.

The Beastie Boys enjoyed their own back in the 1980’s and fitted out with a Hi-Fi DAT system just to listen to mixes in the car.

Even Snoop Dogg got in on the Cadillac hype, although his was looking a little shabby on the inside.

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Ben Thompson

Ben got his start in journalism at Kennedy News and Media, writing stories for national newspapers, websites and magazines. Now working as a freelancer, he divides his time between teaching at News Associates and writing for news sites on all subjects.