Meet The Greatest Car the World Over

"-Amateur" (amateur) 09/30/2013 at 10:35 • Filed to: None

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It's got class. It's got character. It has pizzazz . The SM is a playboy through and through. It exudes confidence with a style that draws a crowd wherever it goes. This Citroen is here for the pursuit of pleasure, plain and simple.

Groundwork on the SM dates back to 1966. Jacques Ne' wanted a sleeker, sportier version of their iconic DS. He wanted a car that would be the the cat's meow. Now I'm not saying the DS isn't the cat's meow...

But compared to the super sled styling of the SM, the DS doesn't hold a candle. Citroen got its paws on Maserati in '68 which gave them unbridled access to Italian engines for this project. This engine powered the SM when it graced the world's presence at the 1970 Geneva Motor Show.

The SM was FWD and that Italian Stallion heart it's got can push the sled to 62 mph in a solid 8.9 seconds. The 5 speed manual plows its way to a max speed of 139 mph. Being king of the hill has its perks. The SM got all of the fancy techy guts of the DS. The ungodly complicated hydro-pneumatic suspension system was awesome. You could adjust the height as you see fit: "Shall I ride in caressing comfort or do I want to tear shit up on the asphalt?"

God help you if you need to do maintenance on the SM. Pretty sure the oil filter is next to the flux capacitor dude.

But my Iphone 5S already has an adjustable hydro-pneumatic suspension system. Well does it have automatic leveling iodine headlamps that swiveled with the steering wheel? Does it have rain sensing windshield wipers or variable assist steering with an adjustable tilt function? Does it include lightweight composite wheels? I didn't think so. 1970 Citroen SM: 1 , Apple Iphone 5S: 0 . Your a worthy adversary Iphone, but the SM vanquishes another wanna-be French car.

The SM was like sex on wheels. Those sleek, promiscuous lines and voluptuous curves were eye catching. Function over form or vice-versa you say? Why not both. The shape gave the SM a drag coefficient of 0.336 which was a quarter less than its pudgy DS cousin. It's like the good Lord wanted us to build the SM...literally. If it's good enough for the Pope, it's good enough for me.

It didn't have the same allure with America though. Probably because of the face transplant to conform with U.S. regulations. Thanks Obama.

With the SM's unreliability, the oil crisis, and Citroen going bankrupt in '74, The SM was awaiting its death sentence to be carried out. After selling 12,920 cars to owners who understood the beauty of the SM, the GT coupe took its last breathe in the summer of 1975. Citroen made a brief statement.... "The SM was born from speed and died with speed."

You look at these photos. The car was a bonafide rockstar from birth. It didn't care what you thought of it because it knew it was badass. Sure it's life ended quite abruptly, but living life on the edge from day one as a pricey, technologically-laden, reliability time bomb was just rolling the dice for any car company, let alone Citroen.

"If you don't take the chance to live life, what can you say at the end of it?" -Naveen Andrews

photo credits belong to their respective owners

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 10:38

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Max Mosley was more into the "S&M" than the SM.

/Nevergetsold?

webmonkees > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 10:48

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That engine. you have to set up a service appointment to check the oil.

Mikeado > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 11:34

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Y'know what's great about this? It's a fast GT car that isn't sporty. I mean yes, it's got a Maserati engine in it and a very low drag coefficient that made this less powerful FWD car faster at the top end than a contemporary 911, but it's not aggressive in any way, the suspension was very smooth and it appears to be a 1970s nightclub inside, rather than a padded racecar. It seems every GT these days is trying to go the Ferrari route of making spectacular front-engined supercars, whereas this is just... pleasant. You don't always want to drive long distances like your hair's on fire, and the SM is great for times like that.

The C6 (a descendant of the DS) was similar compared to its German rivals. It wasn't tested at the Nürburgring for months on end, for one thing. It seems that the French really "get" luxury cars. It's just a shame they couldn't put them together well enough...

axiomatik > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 11:45

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I love the SM. It looks like a spaceship, especially with the euro-spec front end. The DS is cool too, but somehow looks more dated. The SM still looks like it could be from the future.

I've got a few pictures of the SM Opera in rotation as wallpapers. I love how long it is.

tapzz > Mikeado 09/30/2013 at 11:46

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Funny you should mention the C6- I was just about to post it as a slightly less insane, more useable latter day alternative. Diesel V6, manual if you like, hydropneumatic goodness and Citroën style intact. RIP, alas.

Mikeado > tapzz 09/30/2013 at 11:47

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Oh they did do a manual? I've browsed the classifieds before and never found one...

JayHova > Mikeado 09/30/2013 at 11:52

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Of course it isn't sporty - it is a GT car, which means Grand Tourisme - as a grand tourer it is built for comfortable long distance travelling....fast on the Autobahn/highway/whatever, comfortable and stylish.

tapzz > Mikeado 09/30/2013 at 12:00

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Now that you mention it, I wasn't so sure, all of a sudden.

But, yes, they do: here's a 2.2HDI with a manual six speed .

alan505 > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 12:01

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This should have been marked NSFW, as viewing Citroens during the day can lead one to the heights of arousal.
On the same note I'll offer this handy tip to my fellow Citroen owners:

Can't get your Citroen up? It could be a question of LHM flow...

alan505 > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 12:02

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This should have been marked NSFW, as viewing Citroens during the day can lead one to the heights of arousal.
On the same note I'll offer this handy tip to my fellow Citroen owners:

Can't get your Citroen up? It could be a question of LHM flow...

dogisbadob > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 12:03

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Too bad the US got scared and banned Citroen instead of being innovative. DOT would've FREAKED OUT if they ever saw the CX. Time to join the UNECE standards!

Troll is English for Troll > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 12:05

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Can an iPhone 5S drive you around?

No.

Point and case.

Mikeado > tapzz 09/30/2013 at 12:13

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Oh wow, just one on Auto Trader! That says a lot.

Mikeado > JayHova 09/30/2013 at 12:14

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I know, but if you look at most GTs they're trying to be sports cars at the same time, whereas this isn't. That's my point.

Sam Payne > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 12:16

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This is the engine bay of my nightmares

WNX > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 12:28

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It's by far my favourite Citroën. It looked cool 40 years ago, looks cool now and I'm sure it'll look cool in 2052. In Euro-spec, of course.

bobrayner > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 12:32

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Citroën SM + rally + breadvan = AWESOME

JayHova > Mikeado 09/30/2013 at 12:32

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You are right - today, it's all about the time 'round the ring. Every vaguely powerful car is beaten around the Nordschleife to prove its 'speed', even the 2.4 ton- BMW X6-M (does the Ring in less than 8:30).

twochevrons > alan505 09/30/2013 at 12:35

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Badum-tish.

My old Xantia used to have that trouble in the morning. It'd come up at the front, but the back end would stay resolutely grounded. What that says about my performance, I do not know...

Slave2anMG > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 12:38

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These photos. My goodness.

I'm going to need some time alone...if you'll excuse me...

twochevrons > dogisbadob 09/30/2013 at 12:43

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What's even more remarkable, was that the CX (and even its successor, the XM) was actually sold in the US. A while after Citroën pulled out of the US market, a company called CXA started buying CXs in France, shipping them to the US, and doing their own compliance modifications (including a front-end change that makes the US-spec SM look well-executed). This was all done without Citroën's blessing, and they were badged simply as CXAs, rather than Citroën CXs, but there are a few of them over here.

This went on into the early '90s, with a few XMs being converted in similar fashion before CXA folded. Needless to say, with the costs of converting such a small number of vehicles unofficially, it's surprising that they sold any at all.

duurtlang > Sam Payne 09/30/2013 at 12:46

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This is the engine bay of my nightmares dreams.

There, I fixed it. What could possibly go wrong with a 1970s Maserati engine?

Futrell's Indenor XD2 needs a head gasket > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 12:56

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"Thanks Obama."

Love it.

bobrayner > duurtlang 09/30/2013 at 12:57

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1970s Maserati engine, 1970s Citroën electrics that would embarrass Lucas, tightly packed engine bay, and bits of the hydropneumatic system crammed in wherever they could find a gap.

How brave do you feel? :-)

twochevrons > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 13:00

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I would quite gladly part with all my modern toys to go back to the '70s and buy an SM new.

The shot with Concorde is especially appropriate, I think. I've never had the pleasure of driving an SM, but I've owned several of Citroën's 'lesser' hydropneumatic models, and the comparison is apt. They're beautifully engineered, highly unconventional, and maybe a bit highly strung (but nowhere near as much as their reputation suggests), but above all, driving them feels like piloting a spaceship.

It's hard to explain, but the behind-the-wheel experience of a Citroën is quite unlike anything else. The incredible suspension isolates you from the bumps of the road just as well as an American land-barge, but without the pitching and wallowing, and with remarkably good road manners. The steering and brakes feel odd, for sure, but they add to that amazing detached feeling – it makes you feel as if you are simply directing the car, rather than actively driving it, if that makes any sense.

The whole act of driving a Citroën requires near-zero effort. The steering requires only a fingertip to guide it through all but the tightest of bends, and the brakes will pull it to a stop just by resting a toe on the pedal (that was actually the strategy that I started to use – rather than use my leg to apply pedal pressure, do it all by pivoting my ankle). The controls, although they seem bizarrely laid-out, fall easily to hand, and you can just waft along for hours upon its magic-carpet suspension, with no fatigue at all. It may be the antithesis of the sports-car ideal, but I'd be hard-pressed to come up with a more relaxing driving experience.

duurtlang > bobrayner 09/30/2013 at 13:01

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Not brave enough, yet. Primarily due to the engine and quite limited funds on my bank account. But, honestly, that's my primary problem with it. I might be naive but it's mostly the engine that I fear, not the hydropneumatics nor the electrics. Besides, I've got a few decent vintage Citroën specialists within fifteen minutes from my home.

I hoon, therefore I am > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 13:16

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See everyone? Stop complaining that new cars are bloated with useless junk that merely inflates the sticker price! It has been around FOREVER!

Felix Mulholland > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 13:26

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Ancillaries carried on subframe forward of the engine, connected by whippy drive, induced chain wearing and eventual catastrophic failure. Too bad. Engine went into Merak.

RealRoadNews > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 13:31

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Oui! This article only furthers my lust for the SM. I found a polished example on craigslist in my area ( http://detroit.craigslist.org/okl/cto/400646… ) that has been for sale/reposted for a quite a while. The seller's bitterness seems to be growing as time goes on (see the third paragraph). I'd take it off his hands for about 1/10 of what he's asking, plus a fresh baguette.

twochevrons > RealRoadNews 09/30/2013 at 13:39

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From what I've seen of them for sale online, 15k sounds pretty fair for one in that kind of shape. Of course, Citroën people tend to be a bit of a weird bunch (trust me, I am one of them!) and even if they're selling the car, they act as if they don't want to.

I remember when I bought my Xantia (a nice but pretty mundane '90s Citroën), the seller only let me buy it (for all of $2000) after I'd demonstrated enough knowledge about Citroën maintenance that they knew that I could look after it. When it comes to the more desirable models such as the SM and DS, I'm sure it only gets weirder.

bobrayner > duurtlang 09/30/2013 at 13:45

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Good luck. I'd love to see how the story goes. You'll be very happy with your SM, whenever you get around to it :-)

(I bought a very different car with hydraulic suspension which is prone to expensive problems; but she makes me smile and I wouldn't drive anything else)

duurtlang > bobrayner 09/30/2013 at 13:52

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I don't have kids and as an apartment dweller I can only really have one car, so I've settled with a car with two doors that shares a platform and the engine with hydropneumatic Citroëns (Xantia mostly) and with some imagination its general shape with the SM; a Peugeot 406 coupe. Once I've got the space and the funds I'll have a SM as a weekend car. Or (more likely) a CX.

myleaadfoot > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 13:56

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I was in LA last year for a wedding and during the stag night we ended up at a series of strip joints. Outside the first joint (full of hipsters having the 'ironic' birthday party) in the parking lot was a beautiful cherry red SM. I spent far more time ogiling its stunning metalwork than the girls inside.

Hooperdink > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 14:11

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With French cars, I've owned a DS and a SM, as well as some Renaults (one was a Dauphine, but that's for another day).

The SM was a lovely car; mine was a US spec 1973 with the 3.0L engine and automatic transmission. I bought it in 1979 and owned it until 1982. It was white with the tan leather interior (just thinking about it, I can still smell that leather). I loved that car.

It had some unique features; the rain sensing wipers worked with a nichrome wire and a bimetalic strip. When the wiper motor ran, the current would heat up the wire inversely proportional to the amount of rain on the glass. Less rain, more heat, the bimetalic strip bent more, and the wipers stayed off longer. That was a very elegant solution for the 70s. The steering was also active hydropneumatic. IIRC, there was a cam and follower in the pneumatics for the power assist; one of the side features/oddities was the steering would self-center. If you were stopped at a light, you could push the wheel over to a lock (it was only 2 turns lock to lock!), and when you let go, the pressure in the system would force the wheel back to center, turning itself. That was so cool. As I recall it was a very comfortable car, and the adjustable height control (a lever next to the driver's seat on the outboard side) allowed an almost SUV-level height. I live in the snowbelt and used to take the car to the ski slopes. I don't remember any snow stopping me!

Sadly, the transmission gave out on the car in 1982. I could do a lot of the work on it, but that was too much for me and the funds I had at the time. The front end is put together like a bunch of Belgian blocks, so you have to disassemble a good portion of front end to get the tranny out. It was going to cost $1000 just to get the transmission out, and at least another $500 in repairs -if- the transmission could be repaired. I ended up selling it as is to a collector from the midwest. I never saw it again, but I hope it ended up back on the road.

insightman > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 15:03

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I think I remember that this SM had a bolt that had something to do with the front wheels that required ONE THOUSAND pound-feet (foot-pounds back then) of torque! I wanted to go to a Citroen dealer to see one of these bolts, and the torque wrench that twisted it, but never found a Citroen dealer.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > duurtlang 09/30/2013 at 16:01

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Do you reckon there's enough space in there for twin turbos from a Biturbo in there?

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > Mikeado 09/30/2013 at 16:15

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This. You know, I've never managed to quantify why it seems like the 60s and 70s just had a healthier, more varied car market. It's because of cars like the SM. An expensive car that's not about speed.

Belsemer2 > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 19:06

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also because Burt Raynolds from "the longest yard"

SpeedSix > bobrayner 09/30/2013 at 21:56

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A Mercedes-Benz 450SEL 6.9? Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow? :)

twochevrons > duurtlang 09/30/2013 at 22:12

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I've always been rather partial to the XM... It may be a four-door luxury saloon, rather than a GT, but I've always thought of it as a spiritual successor to the SM – it certainly owes a lot to it in terms of styling.

twochevrons > duurtlang 09/30/2013 at 22:13

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Gah. Double post

twochevrons > duurtlang 09/30/2013 at 22:16

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... And triple post. Not winning tonight.

twochevrons > duurtlang 09/30/2013 at 22:16

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And quadruple post. Goodnight, folks!

majorbloodnok > -Amateur 09/30/2013 at 23:34

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Big question though - Citroen SM or Lamborghini Espada? Surely there's a Top 10 of oddball 70s GTs just waiting to be compiled?

majorbloodnok > axiomatik 09/30/2013 at 23:35

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I've always thought a DS with a modern V6 diesel engine swap would be an awesome family car but now I'm thinking SM Opera instead

LohansDad > -Amateur 10/01/2013 at 01:02

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The DS wasn't the SM's predecessor - who comes up with this crap?

LohansDad > -Amateur 10/01/2013 at 01:02

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The DS wasn't the SM's predecessor - who comes up with this crap?

LohansDad > dogisbadob 10/01/2013 at 01:04

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Citroen didn't get banned from the US. You are terribly mistaken, mon cheri.

duurtlang > twochevrons 10/01/2013 at 03:32

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The XM is growing on me, but I still see too many of them and in my (1983) mind it's still got a little bit of an old man image. I'll give it half a decade, maybe a full decade, and I'll be lusting after one as well.

kar120c > -Amateur 10/01/2013 at 03:35

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My forthcoming comments should be qualified with the following:

- French cars have been in my family since before the Second World War in one form or another.

- I have owned more French cars than vehicles of any other nationality (I think) throughout the 27 years that I have been driving. This means Citroens, Peugeots, Renaults, and (in the brief case of a Rancho), Talbot/Matra/Simcas.

- My daily driver is a 1991 Peugeot 405 Mi16, but at heart I am a Citroeniste.

- Yes, I have driven SMs, though I have never owned one. Also DSes, 2CVs (and derivatives), BXes, CXes, Traction Avants, ZXes, AXes, LNAs, Visas, Xantias, and a few others I'm forgetting.

With all of that said, the SM is a fantastic car but a bastard child. It doesn't drive like either a Citroen or a Maserati of the time, and while it's a technological tour de force, it's largely standing on the shoulders of the DS. Exterior and interior styling are certainly the SM's strong points, at least in a polarising sense - but, had original plans for the DS been allowed to have been properly-fermented and -massaged over time ever-so-slightly, the DS could have eventually evolved into the SM with four doors, perhaps even two, much like the vaunted DS rally cars.

Note that I do not say any of this to knock the SM: it's a fantastic car, albeit one that requires both a fluid hand and foot to control it properly, as well as an understanding that it is not - nor ever was - a supercar, but rather a killer GT car designed to eat both continents and curves in equal comfort and composition. But with its incredibly short-geared steering and brakes more sensitive than those on an early DS, it's busy to control on straightaways and in traffic, and wallows (though, admittedly, with a ton of stiction) in corners.

I will not knock the DIRAVI steering for self-centering; it takes some time to get used to it, but once you have become accustomed to it it makes perfect sense.

In fairness to the car, time has brought fixes for the lean in corners. Personally, I've never found this to be a negative point of hydropneumatically-sprung Citroens or even my 2CVs: they all did it to varying degrees (no pun intended) right up to the Xantia Activa, which was about where the factory decided that perhaps they should do something about that. And when they did, enough seat-of-the-pants feeling was lost that they had to subsequently revise the reactive suspension to allow more roll and, thus, more driver feel in cornering.

That said: if you were brought up driving 2CVs, DSes, or Tractions, the high-revving nature of the SM would be completely alien to you. Off the line, there's not much to work with, though speed does build well (if gradually) up to cruising velocities in the higher revs. With luck, you'd be driving a manual; automatics were definitely the products of late-'60s / early-'70s engineering in that regard and simply not as good to push on with as their manual counterparts.

Given what I have written, it may sound as though I am bashing the SM. I am not. It remains an utterly fascinating vehicle, and one which remains entirely unique. But compared to its stablemates of the time, a DS21 with a 5-speed manual and a few performance tweaks is ultimately the more enjoyable - and usable - car.

fcukyoukinja > Sam Payne 10/01/2013 at 04:56

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Actually, uncle of my cousin owns one (I had the pleasure of riding in it recently ;), and finding parts to fix distributor is currently the biggest concern (also because when you finaly find them they aren't cheap). Also leaks from hydraulic everything is a biggie since everything is hydraulic.

bobrayner > SpeedSix 10/01/2013 at 05:00

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Heh. Current daily driver is a W215. Not unlike the Citroën SM, maintenance costs are like having two kids and a crack habit. A silver shadow sounds like a good idea, actually!

I really, really want to replace my wife's car with a W126 - preferably in gold - due to a tiresome injoke involving Lethal Weapon 2.

twochevrons > duurtlang 10/01/2013 at 08:51

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Ah, I know what you mean. The XM was a pretty rare sight back in New Zealand, which gave it a bit of an exotic feel in my mind. But that said, I might be just old before my time – I'm of the same generation as you, and my first car was a full-size Rover (cue Top Gear quote, "HE BOUGHT A ROVER!").

I'd love to find a Citroën here in the US. What's actually strange is that, if eBay auctions are anything to believe, there are far more SMs in the US than any other Citroën model. Most often you'll see several SMs for sale, maybe a DS or two, and very, very rarely, a CX or XM. They're reasonably affordable, too – it looks like you can pick up a scruffy but mechanically-sound SM for 15k or so, which is significantly less than similar-condition DSs go for!

I'm lucky that my wife is also a Europhile and Citroën convert after driving mine when we lived in NZ. She has actually suggested, with no prompting from me, that we go to France, pick up a nice CX Turbo II, pack it full of French wine, and ship it back to the States. I'm tempted!

twochevrons > kar120c 10/01/2013 at 09:04

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It's fascinating to hear from someone who's had some 'wheel time' in an SM! I've done many, many miles in a Xantia, and also once had your daily-driver's mutant cousin, the BX 16v, but I've never had the pleasure of driving a 'classic' Citroën such as an SM or DS.

As an aside, how do you like the Mi16? It's one of the few French cars that are even semi-available in the US, and I'm considering buying one to satisfy my French-car addiction (until I moved to the US, I was a Citroën man). I loved the BX 16v, which it shared a platform and engine with, but I'm curious as to how the Mi16 differs, since it has a conventional suspension arrangement, and, from what I've heard, a more sporty feel.

axiomatik > majorbloodnok 10/01/2013 at 09:11

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It just looks like it was made to cross continents, doesn't it?

theguyfromTorino > -Amateur 10/01/2013 at 09:49

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This is my SM in my driveway. I'm a proud owner and every time I take her out for a spin someone comes to congratulate, every time without fail. And this is London, there's loads of nice classics around each and every day of the week. The SM has got something special, very hard to describe.

vc-10 > axiomatik 10/01/2013 at 14:29

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Continents? Pah. It was built to cross galaxies.

AndSOheSAID > -Amateur 10/02/2013 at 12:47

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Interesting read. Would be even better if you could spell Citroën correctly, but hey ho. You could just as well have compared this car to the Banana 5S. What's the difference anyway between Citroën and Citroen. Well as much as between a banana and an Apple actually.

trinitrona > kar120c 10/02/2013 at 12:52

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To each their own of course, I'll take an SM over a DS for any long trip. I own a '71 DS (four speed, but the final drive is the same as a 5 speed anyhow) and a '72 SM five-speed (and a '72 2CV6...French bug has bit). The DS is great for country road driving in the 50-60 mph range. The SM is good for that too, of course, but when it comes to actual long distance travel on today's highways at real highway speeds like 70 - 90 mph, the SM is not only better than my DS, it is better than just about any car out there. Last fall I did 900 miles in one day; I arrived refreshed. When set up correctly the steering just tracks the car straight as an arrow. It is hard to get fatigued driving the thing!

Both the SM and the DS are a bit doggy in traffic I'd say (that's what the 2cv is for!). An old French ex-pat gave me sound advice on how to drive an SM: the French parts (i.e., brakes, steering, shifter, turn signal switch, horn switch) are designed for a light touch...use the tips of your finger tips and toes. The Italian part, i.e. the gas pedal, is for mashing down at every opportunity.

There really is nothing like floating on a Citroen cloud, giving slight inputs to the steering while listening to the Maserati V-6 go by 4 grand on the tach.

-Amateur > AndSOheSAID 10/02/2013 at 12:53

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I wanted to spell Citroen the right way, but I don't know how to put those accent dots; evident by the way I spelled it in this very response lol!

berock212 > -Amateur 10/19/2013 at 22:25

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That's like comparing a cat to a remote control, it's impossible to really compare them. A Iphone is better than Citroen SM at using the internet but the Citroen SM is better than the iphone at transporting people. My question is why in the world would you compare them?

berock212 > -Amateur 10/19/2013 at 22:26

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This is like comparing a cat to a remote. How can you compare two things that are used for completely different purposes.