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Cadillac unveils a luxury electric dream with the Sollei convertible

The return of the opulent top-down Caddys

The Sollei is the perfect convertible for the summer season. PHOTO FROM CADILLAC

Of all the niche models we get served from the car industry these days, the one of luxury four-seater convertibles has to be one of the smallest. Add an electric drivetrain to the mix and the choices shrink even further. This is why Cadillac’s latest concept car is a little bit exciting. Meet the Sollei, an electric dream for all the family.

The name stands for sun (“Sol”) and leisure (“Lei”), and the concept is meant to represent Cadillac’s ability to create beautiful coach-built machines. It also comes with a few interesting and even quirky features.

For starters, it’s the first concept vehicle by the Americans to feature a new material called Fine Mycelium. Developed together with a company called MycoWorks, the material was grown from mycelium, the renewable root structure of mushrooms. Top marks in the renewable resources category there.

You wouldn't think this was an EV. PHOTOS FROM CADILLAC

The Sollei is a proper barge, with ample space for four passengers, and if any of them like bird-watching, then they’re in luck. One of its quirks is a leather-wrapped case that houses 3D-printed acrylic bird calls.

It comes complete with a booklet with hand-painted bird illustrations and a leather tool roll to store your pens and pencils. A bit weird maybe, but then it’s a convertible. So why not use the quiet drivetrain and open the skies above your head?

The Sollei can only seat up to four people. PHOTOS FROM CADILLAC

The interior is wrapped in Nappa leather that contains a pink iridescent pigment for a subtle color-changing effect meant to mimic a sunrise.

The primary metal finishes have been tinted with a color-changing finish that reflects the Aurora phenomenon when the sun’s solar winds react with the earth’s atmosphere.

Even the door to the drinks cooler between the rear seats and the glass tray within it has been bestowed with a pink iridescent hue that plays on the sunlight theme.

The wooden accents make it look like a yacht on wheels. PHOTOS FROM CADILLAC

The cabin is also adorned with unstained wood veneers, and there’s mood lighting that allows for no fewer than 126 color options in each zone. We didn’t know there were that many moods, but it sounds like however you feel, this car has you covered.

Failing that, you can use the massive 55-inch pillar-to-pillar screen to keep yourself entertained, or lower the fabric roof made from metallic materials called “Daybreak” and simply watch the sky above you.

Sadly, thus far this is only a concept, but with the choice of electric convertibles still small—and the desire for luxury vehicles strong—who knows? We may see a production version at some point. It would certainly make a welcome and colorful addition to summer traffic.



Frank Schuengel

Frank is a German e-commerce executive who loves his wife, a Filipina, so much he decided to base himself in Manila. He has interesting thoughts on Philippine motoring. He writes the aptly named ‘Frankly’ column.



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