1971 Citroën SM

Lot 132
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Estimation :
40000 - 50000 EUR
Result with fees
Result : 44 700EUR
1971 Citroën SM
Chic and rare configuration Strictly original interior Emblematic car of the 1970s French title Chassis n° SB1131 Towards the end of the 1950s, the performance of privately-entered DS in rallies, especially in difficult conditions, prompted Citroën to develop a sports version. Numerous Project «S» mules were studied in the 1960s, but they still lacked a high-performance engine. The takeover of Maserati in 1968 was a perfect opportunity. Italian engineer Alfieri amputated two cylinders from the Indy’s V8 for the prototype, before the arrival of a brand new V6 for the production version. The Citroën «S Maserati» or SM, was born. Designed by Robert Opron, powered by a first 2.7L V6 putting out 170 hp, the SM is a 2+2 coupe as powerful as it is comfortable. The handling was fantastic, and above all safe, thanks to the hydropneumatic suspension and its Diravi power steering, on which it was inaugurated. Other innovations also made their appearance on the SM, such as four hydraulic disc brakes, headlights, two of which are directional, automatically adjusting according to the car’s position and a steering wheel that is adjustable in height and depth, for example. Reliability concerns and its high level of maintenance didn’t help sales, despite a promising reception. It was notably the first foreign car to win the title of «Car of the Year» awarded by American magazine Motor Trend. In the end, its career lasted only 5 years, from 1970 to 1975. The car we are presenting today is a 1971 example, the most important year of production of the SM (5,032 units leaving the Javel factories that year, for a total production of 12,920 units). This SM was acquired by its current owner in 2019, after sitting in dry stockage for thirty years following the death of its meticulous previous owner, with an extensive file of 1980s invoices and the car’s owner’s manual still in the glovebox. Renovated by a former Citroën workshop manager who worked on the SM production line at the time, its bodywork was repainted in its original Platinum Blue, a color available only in 1971. The grey velvet interior, which is quite uncommon, is strictly original and in an impeccable state of preservation. The odometer shows less than 26,000km, having already reached 99 999 km in the 1970s. The car is efficient and quiet, its hydraulic suspension is comfortable and the vehicle holds the road well, even at high speed. This is a rare opportunity to acquire a very nice example of this iconic Citroën.
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