CITROEN SM V6 2.7 - 1973

The Citroën SM (1970–1975) was Citroën’s avant‑garde grand tourer: a sleek 2+2 fastback penned under Robert Opron, powered by a Maserati V6 and underpinned by the brand’s high‑pressure hydropneumatic technology. Its mission was simple and audacious—marry long‑legged GT pace with DS‑level ride and stability.

Launched at the 1970 Geneva show, the SM arrived after Citroën acquired Maserati (1968). The compact, all‑alloy 90° Maserati C114 V6 gave the car both pedigree and pace, while Citroën’s DIRAVI speed‑sensitive, self‑centring steering delivered a feel unlike anything else on the road—light at parking speeds, rock‑steady at 200 km/h. Contemporary testers raved about its high‑speed stability, braking and uncanny ability to iron out bad roads; they also warned that the complexity demanded meticulous maintenance.

Early cars used a 2.7‑litre, triple‑carb version rated around 170 hp DIN, good for roughly 0–100 km/h in 8.9 s and a 220 km/h top end—headline figures in period, helped by a very slippery body (Cd circa 0.26–0.28). Upgrades arrived quickly: Bosch D‑Jetronic injection (Europe, from 1972) sharpened response; a torquier 3.0‑litre followed (1973), and a Borg‑Warner 3‑speed automatic broadened appeal. Running changes also addressed timing‑chain tensioning and service access on the Maserati V6. U.S. cars suffered sealed‑beam headlamps and emissions‑era power losses; by 1974, heavier bumpers further dulled the sheen.

Competition was eclectic: Porsche 911, BMW E9 3.0 CS, Alfa Romeo Montreal, Jaguar E‑type V12 and various Italian GTs. Yet the SM’s front‑wheel‑drive layout, inboard front discs, swivelling headlamps under a faired glass nose (market‑dependent) and self‑levelling suspension made it an outlier among outliers—a rolling manifesto of Citroën’s engineering philosophy. Coachbuilt derivatives by Henri Chapron (the elegant Mylord convertible and Opéra four‑door) expanded the mythos; special long‑wheelbase open “Présidentielle” cars carried French heads of state at early‑’70s parades.

Media and pop culture kept the aura alive: the SM has been a darling of design retrospectives and appeared in numerous period European films; in modern times, it’s been celebrated on enthusiast programmes such as Jay Leno’s Garage, where its blend of serenity and speed was showcased. Period advertising leaned into the Maserati link and the headlamp party trick; period criticism centred on dealer unfamiliarity and upkeep costs, especially outside France. The 1973 oil crisis and Citroën’s financial woes (the Peugeot takeover in 1974 and the sale of Maserati) sealed the SM’s fate; production ended in 1975 after roughly 12,900 built.

Today the SM stands as one of the bravest GTs ever made: a car that could cruise all day at autoroute pace, steer with fingertip precision, and float over tarmac like a magic carpet—while hiding a spare wheel under its bonnet and winking six quartz‑iodine headlamps at the night.