1972 CITROEN SM

Vehicle Overview

The Best of France and Italy, our SM was recently restored and finished in highly attractive Gris Nacre with optioned pavillon in Noir and matching Noir (Black) Interior, exuding stately sophistication and quirkiness in keeping with the assortment of clientele it attracted when new. Its unique features and charisma attracted an assortment of buyers, including the Shah of Iran, two members of the Rolling Stones, both Cheech and Chong and Emperor Haile Selassie I of Ethiopia. 
We have been selling and serving Citroen Automobiles for more than 40 years and have recenty performed a complete maintenance, installed an electronic Ignition System and replace the exhaust with stainless steel components.
Interestingly enough, in it's time, it was the fastest European front wheel drive automobile the world had ever seen boasting a top speed of 140MPH. Total production of 12,920 of which only 2,400 were originally delivered to the U.S. in 1972-1973.
As such, it was quick to impress the automotive press and was the first non-american car to be named Car of the Year by Motor Trend magazine.
An orchestra is the work of consummate skill. With so many intricate
inputs played from individual bodies, conquering a masterpiece is a
tedious process of complete harmonious unity. As if normal automobiles
weren't complex enough, setting out to deliberately build a vehicle
stuffed with unorthodox technological complexities requires a talented
mechanical maestro. Luckily for us, the French madmen of Citroen were
able to compose the ultimate flagship GT, known simply as: the SM.

By the time Citroen debuted the SM at the Geneva Auto Show in 1970,
the French marque had been mastering unconventional vehicle technology
for decades. With the Traction Avant, 2CV, DS, and other models
pocketed in their portfolio, Citroen had already proven to be
innovated motoring pioneers. By packing the SM with more ingenuity
than any Citroen before it, or any vehicle produced for that matter,
it's no wonder the model is still revered today.

The SM was essentially meant to be a Grand Touring version of the four
door DS while doubling as a platform for Citroen's newest
advancements. Penned by Citroen's own head of design, Robert Opron,
the overall profile closely mirrors the DS's teardrop canopy with
quarter panels covering the rear wheels, but features a Kamm tail
assisting in a drag coefficient of just .26-compare that to, say, the
Ferrari 458 Italia's .33 rating. Love it or hate it, the design is as
fresh and striking as it was when new.

Like the DS, the SM suspension offered cloud-like comfort thanks to
its hydropneumatic (oleo pneumatic) independent fully adjustable
self-leveling suspension. The euro-spec SM headlights self-plane in
relation to the desired ride height and also swivel in accordance to
steering input.

-- The SM was an early mass-produced vehicle to offer four-wheel disc
brakes. To reduce unsprung mass, the front disc brakes were mounted
inboard and cooled by integrated underbody air channels. One of the
more intriguing mechanical characteristics is the automated hydraulic
pressure bias brake system that self-adjusts to cabin weight
distribution to ensure the car doesn't bow under braking, keeping the
car level while stopping-all orchestrated through a highly sensitive
brake bulb in place of a traditional pedal. The SM also introduced
variable assist power steering with only two turns lock-to-lock-like
the brakes, steering input is a delicate operation.
A timeless automobile of mid-to-late century design, the Citroen SM
continues to be a prime example of function blended with form. Hosting
a number of mechanical and technological breakthroughs, the SM is the
past's fantasized prediction of the future's automobile-though, in
many ways, it seems modern vehicles still can't match the SM.
Having acquired Maserati in 1968, Citroen put in an order to the
Italian engineers for an appropriate powertrain for the all-around
groundbreaking SM-they did not disappoint. Tucked far behind the front
axles is an aluminum 2.7-liter 90-degree six-cylinder engine that
produces a moderate, but adequate, 170 horsepower-enough for a 140 mph
top speed. Fitted with a stainless steel constructed exhaust system,
the SM carols a quiet but sophisticated Italian exhaust note. The
transmission is mounted in front of the engine and is a fully
synchronized 5 speed manual.
An elegant and innovative car laden with technology. Its hydro-pneumatic suspension ensured no compromise was needed between this elegant and innovative car laden with technology. Its hydro-pneumatic suspension ensured no compromise was needed between comfort and driving dynamics. Oh, and don't forget that sonorous Maserati V6. The SM is the epitome of cool!
And if you have never driven or riden in one.....
This is the only car in the world, other than the Citroen DS, that achieves nearly perfect "critical damping" - an engineering physics term which describes a suspension which absorbs any type/size of bump with nearly zero rebound. The car's extremely large wheel travel range is a big part of its comfort, combined with the hydropneumatic nitrogen gas sphere/strut on each wheel which provides a much more constant spring rate than steel. If you could watch an SM wheel traveling over rough ground, you'd swear the wheels move like a running Cheeta - the body never moves, but the wheels follow the ground like they're on captive rails - following the surface intimately. Many Citroen DS/SM owners enjoy sucking tailgaters hanging on their tail by hitting speedbumps at speeds that would have any other car leaving the ground - it's just fun to watch the followers banging off their roofs thru the rear view mirror.
Plus - the centerpoint pivot of each front wheel directly thru the vertical center of the tire patch means you could hit roadtrash at high speed without the car being deflected from its path, and that's a very strong safety factor. Very few people have a total comprehension of the genius of this car. Every car has its foibles, yet the SM has outstanding features which are still beyond most modern cars.
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