I suppose that's true.. but to be fair, that wouldn't be a very difficult title to claim! What is it with car reviewers anyways?! They always dress terribly! Look at Doug DeMuro for example. Much as I love his videos he goes to review 3 million pound cars like he's dressed to mow the lawn! In an old faded t-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts! Not that I give a crap.. just an observation.
When I was 8 years old at the end of the 70s, there was a caramel-coloured SM in a village close to mine. This car looked like a space shuttle compared to the entry-level cars we were used to seeing. My parents had Citroens but 2CVs or derivatives of 2CVs. In 2003, André Turcat, the former Concorde test pilot, came to give a lecture at my school in Toulouse: he parked the same caramel-coloured SM near the amphitheatre. The other students were 10 years younger than me and this image didn't move them as I was... The SM represented the unbridled imagination of French engineers before the arrival of all kinds of constraints.
@@rexomniumregum2486 yes Light years... Distance, as in way ahead of the competition... There an episode of Father Ted devoted to you that may help 😂😂😂th-cam.com/video/MMiKyfd6hA0/w-d-xo.html
Most of us will never get a chance to drive this amazing car. Compared to an SM, most modern automobile designs are hopelessly dull. Thanks for sharing the experience.
I feel that we are in an all time's low in terms of car design at the moment (I'm talking of relatively affordable ones, not the likes of handmade Pagani). They all look the same, and they are all rather ugly.
hah. and what did people have back in those days? Everubody was driving SM? Ford Cortina, Citroen 2CV, Mini. No thanks, i`d rather drive a "faceless SUV"
@@donjorge8329 You're looking through the nostalgia glasses. There are also attractive suvs/crossovers, such as new KIA Sorento, DS7 Crossback, Peugeot 3008 after facelifting, Range Rover Velar, Volvo XC90, etc... They even look better than most of boxy wagons.
As a child, my mother would take us to see a dentist in Montreal. I went to talk to him and told him that I saw a crazy car from a sci-fi movie not far on the street.Then, he told that it was his car and it was a green Citroen SM. The reinforced my impression that I already had with the DS that we saw at the Auto Show. Since the beginning, every modern ideas were quickly getting their way in the Citroen and on their factories.
@@randomdude9269 Which thing? The Avanti? Magnificent styling, bomb-proof mechanicals, fiberglass body, point-and-shoot handling, first modern caliper-type disc brake system in the US, and the fastest production car ever tested at Bonneville when it was new.
Yes, the braking is the most unusual dynamic aspect. There is very little of the "forward pitch" sensation that we are used to. It feels like the entire car squats down into the road, almost as if gravity suddenly got a lot stronger!
Trailing arm rear suspension causes that, it's accentuated by the suspension trying to self level at the same time, Citroen 2CVs do it as well, if the rear brakes are still working.
@@trespire A Citroën (back in the days when they _were_ Citroëns) has some specialities making Your drive way better than any other drive in any other car. Those do come with a sometimes steep learning curve though, which is why the lesser gifted traffic participants often tend towards calling Citroëns from the great era "undrivable". That isn't anything to worry about though, there's an abundance of Fords and Vauxhalls and VWs and Skodas and Seats and Audis and BMWs and Mercedesses for that kinda people.
My Dad was a big Citroen fan in the ‘70’s. He had a DS & 3 CX’s, one being a prestige, all beautiful cars & very reliable. He did often enquire about the SM but didn’t ever follow it up.
What a gorgeous car. The reason it failed was the oil crisis of 1973. Terrible timing for cars not very on the economy side regarding gaz. Thank you for this lovely video.
I used to drive a silver SM (ODP 591M) back in the late 70s in the West End of London. It's wonderful to drive and a real head turner. My all time favourite car.
enfant j'ai le souvenir d'un ami de mon père qui venait avec cette MASERATI , oui il l'appelait comme ça et moi j'étais émerveillé de voir ce paquebot France arriver sur ces routes d'automnes , elle était si racée élégante majestueuse ! un jour j'en prendrai une pour remonter les temps anciens ou il faisait bon vivre merci monsieur Kevin excellente vidéo !
Remember seeing a dusty one in Beirut in the 90s. Looked so cool down on its lowest suspension setting with Arabic plates. Owning a CX is the closest I'll ever get to having one of these I think. Beautiful machine.
The SM has underpinnings derived from the DS. Some of the special features of the SM made their way into the CX, I believe this includes the speed variable power steering.
@@kevinhaggarthy3462 I saw a silver restored CX on a local road during the summer before lockdown. Also local, there's a nice SM that i sometimes see on a Sunday morning - or used to....
The SM along with the E-type and the LP400 Countach are I think the prettiest cars ever designed. They just flow and look beautiful and make you want to drive them or simply have them in your lounge to look and smile at.
Cette Citroën SM est magnifique 😎🎩 The Splendid blue of the body matches perfectly with the Brown leather interior Beautiful car indeed...to Cruise for long
An elegant video for an elegant car. Thank you and bravo ! It reminds me of my first encounter with the SM. My father was driving a Renault as he was working for that company. No other car makers or cars could be considered acceptable for him except Citroën. And when he saw one ahead of him on the road he told me to look and I was in a state of shock : the car looked like à spaceship compare to anything at that time in France! This moment of time is still alive in my mind and I remember the music played on the radio. It was the Bee Gees with the song Tragedy which is a very climactic song. A perfect planet alignment!. What a car...
Love the SM! I own an XM myself and am really into hydropneumatics, yet I have never heard about the suspension lowering when going at faster speeds! AFAIK the C5 equipped with the hydractive 3 system was the first model to change height according to speed :)
I don't know about the SM, but I know that the close following Citroen CX of the same Era had speed adapting steering force, so I would not be too much surprised by a speed adaptive riding height.
As far as I know, neither the SM, nor the later CX had "active" ride hight. Only self leveling for each axle, rigardless of the load, as it was self correcting. The CX has 4 selectable hight, the SM has 5. The XM I don't know, but the C5 is active and speed depandent.
Yes The SM does not have active height.. Steering yes. Also this car cannot be a 1970 as it has Injection, which came in 72, but it is not a 73 as the door handle changed in 73. Also the 3,0 never got IE, only carbs. Carbs do sound better. :) Regards an SM owner. (CX, XM and C6 also.. ;) )
I’ve just discovered you, mainly because of the SM. Great video, classy with a perfect allocution and a nice scenery. No fussy music, very enjoyable to watch. Bravo
Bravo Mister Kevin Haggarthy for the excellent presentation of this report on the CITROËN SM. It's beautiful CITROËN SM is made for you! The best report on the CITROËN SM.
My late father had a sm JUS843L what a great car. He rebuild the engine twice. With parts from Andrew brodie. Remember going to London to some strange garage under the rail lines. The place was full of Italys finest. We had a DS as well. Two cars ahead of their time.
Good video, just a point : the height corrector of the hydropneumatic system is totally mechanic, the clearance does NOT depend on the speed. Only the Citroen C5 adjust clearance depending on speed, with the third generation of hydropneumatique named " Hydractive 3"
Snap! I laughed aloud at your introduction as I have that same Corgi Whizzwheels SM sitting on my desk today, I've had it since the late 70s as a boy. Alas, I have yet to drive my dream car. One day.
Very envious of your luck to drive an SM and a nice review of this unique car, I had a CX estate for a couple of years and it was so nice to drive. I always smiled starting it up first thing in morning the rear suspension lifted first then the large bonnet raised up to driving height and away you go. The self centering steering was really helpful when parking, I wish more cars today with electric power steering had this feature. It was also the best car I have used to tow a caravan the self levelling suspension kept the caravan level, and the long wheel base made it very stable and was hardly ever affected by crosswinds or passing HGVs on motorways.
Very nice made review! The problem seemed to have been mainly with the engine that broke down very easily and repairs came at exorbitant cost. It was later sort out, the maserati engine timing chain tensioner had a tendency to break in rough pull push situations which caused the engine to break valves and pistons. They fixed that in the following years, but the reputation was badly damaged. For the image driven high value "jet set" audience that surely was a no go. Many design and technical features of the SM lived on in the close following Citroen CX cars and seem to have worked relieable. CX Line cars were built up to 1991, so nearly 30 years without significant changes. The hydraulic steering systems of SM and CX were exceptional. Go through a 3 cm deep one sided puddle with a normal car and you feel how it tries to turn your steering wheel. Got through the same puddle with a CX and you feel nothing - it takes the straight line withoud irritation. That maybe bad for occasional drivers, but I think its great for experienced drivers that don't need that feedback to make road condition decisions. I once took a trip in a 120 horsepower CX Break (stationary wagon) that covered the distance of 1200 km (745 miles) in 10 hours, including heavy rain on a span of 300 km. (That's where the special hydraulic steering shines: no irritation forces from the street ever reach the steering wheel) After that I stepped out of the car with agile body tension. I wasn't tired at all ! Starting point was a camping site in Rome, finish was a little village in Austri, including a short break we took. I wouldn't do that nowadays for safety and legal reasons, but I was young and had a trusting girlfriend on my side. I also remember how surprised I was, beeing outpaced by a brand new Mercedes ML on the Italian Autobahn. That car did a cruising speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) with 5 people on board, which I didn't want to keep up more than a few minutes. It was a curvy part of the Autobahn in the alps. So cudos to mercedes at this point! Yes it also hit me *g* I doubt that they had an equal smooth ride like we had in the Citroen CX.
Thanks for an enjoyable video. As a child growing up in the US in the '60s, one of my favorite Corgi toys was a Citroen DS. I've always loved the uniqueness of Citroen. Never saw an SM until the mid '80s and thought it was a beautiful car. I think my only ride in a Citroen was in an economy model during a business trip to Germany decades ago. Not the same as a DS or SM but a thrill to be riding in a Citroen, none the less. I had to satisfy my appreciation of non-traditional automobiles by nearly 40 years of Saab ownership.
Great intro to a great car! Thanks for this, well done in actually getting to drive your dream car, very few of us do! Fabulous car, I well recall a mate of mine driving us along a main road many years ago and a Citroen SM shot past almost silently and we were both very impressed. Very few seen these days and the innovations these cars had as mentioned in the video were world beating technology at the time, and STILL a fantastic car. Great video, thanks.
Hi Derek- Thankyou so much for taking the time to comment. It’s interesting how these cars have a lasting effect on our memories from small incidents. I am thinking of doing something on the ISO Grifo or Lambo Espada as legends of the past!
The covered headlights are warmed by air from the radiator thru ducts in order to keep the glass from fogging up. Wonderful car, when it is running,which in my experience is not often enough.
Lovely. I was 13 yrs old, when I saw the SM at the Los Angeles Auto Expo. I was blown away. I ended up owning one for 15 yrs, as well as a DS Pallas & DS Safari. Part of their failure was the ’73 oil crisis. You can likely add their price and (in the U.S.) poor dealer service support
At this time first came the DS ,the SM and then the GS and CX incredible cars ,still to this day remarkable cars to drive(but quite expensive) ,very safe ,ultra confortable on any roads.I own and daily drive a CX 2400 Palace 1980" model,much more reliable and cheaper than the SM Maserati engine ,and I could not change for another car ,Thanks for this video.
I have one, wonderful car, unfortunately I inherited it from my father and he had an accident with it shortly before his passing, I don't think we'll ever be able to have it in as great a condition as it was. It was originally restored by my father to an incredible extent, it was always the best one in meetups. Word of advice if you ever drive one, be careful with the direction, it's extremely sensitive, much more than what you would be used to when at low speed, my father use to say this car has to be steered with the thumbs haha.
J'espère que vous avez toujours votre SM et si vous en avez les moyens, je ne peux que vous recommander de la confier à RGP (anciennement Garage Régembeau) à Crèches sur Saône. Le créateur de ce garage, Georges Régembeau, était un génie qui a proposé des versions améliorées avec un moteur totalement fiabilisé et optimisé et il avait même crée une version turbodiesel de 165cv et boite six vitesses dans les années 70. C'est certainement l'un des meilleurs endroits en France pour faire réparer dignement ce monument.
When I was a toddler the Matchbox SM was my favorite car. In the US I had many hot wheels but none compared to this odd Citroen. Over 40 years later and I still have it 🙂 great video
Thank you for this very nice video. It feels so relaxed and sincere. The SM is a masterpiece. Unfortunately they‘re getting more and more expensive as we speak. This one has an especially lovely colour combination on the in- and outside. Neven seen one like that before. It‘s quite a shame you couldn‘t keep the car. You two look like you were made for each other ;).
Looking at a lot of retro reviews of Citroen cars. Makes me want to try the 2CV and GSA. The XM was my personal favourite after Ronin. They have character. The SM looks futuristic even today.
Great! I had that metallic-green Corgi-car too, it was one my favorite childhood-cars too and I am also dreaming for so many years, to drive a Citroen SM. This video is really cool!
My dad had 3 DS , the most comfortable car of the century, the turning lights were all installed on the DS. He dreamt of an SM but it was just too expensive .
I had the privilege of driving a friends SM twice. And at excessive speeds too! Wonderful. Out of all the cars I have driven, and several Citroens, too, this is the greatest car ever made.
The SM was the first Citroen to have headlights that swivelled, the 1960s DS was. Hydrophobic Suspension and Self-centred Steering was also used on the DS. Same with the brakes.
Well let's be honest, the first car with swivelling headlight was Tatra 87 (and some say that it was available as the option even on Tatra 50 and 77). We are talking 30's here. Citroën adopted this on DS and SM many years after Tatra.
Hydrophobic suspension? The SM was the first Citroen with steering power assistance which reduced as the speed rose, and it was later fitted to the CX. There were early '30s American luxury cars with swiveling headlamps, such as Cadillac V16. Also, the Tucker was planned to have a swiveling centre headlamp
@@richardrichard5409 It was Citroen's radical attempt to prevent the SM from rusting. The system was designed to shield the cars from rain, and thus avert the bane of monocoque cars, the dreaded tin worm. It was a clever system, but needed more development.
In my young days, driving through Morocco through Atlas Mountains at steady 50MPH when a fleet of Police outsiders at huge speed in front of bright red Citroën SM driven by King of Morocco flashed past, pushing us off the road. Wow...hugely impressive. Very desirable car
Wow, that really is a beautiful, unique vehicle....what it must be like to walk out to your garage, open the door, and have THIS car as a choice to drive that day....✌🏻
That brought back some memories, as I drove one for a few hours a quarter of a century ago. It was 'other worldly' in so many respects, but it was the amazing suspension that really gripped my attention.
I saw one in my grandfather's golf club car-park, when I must have been 6 or 7. The thing stood out as it was so futuristic. Put all the other 70s cars to shame. I've always wanted one since then.
The Citroën SM was the peak of the brand. What a beauty! From that point, it went all the way down... how is that possible with such a heritage?! Merci pour ce beau reportage, in style!
@@BillWoodillustrator It's not because of Citroën, it's because of internal strategy of PSA group. They made a mistake of making Peugeot brand more premium than Citroën. They should do it this way: Peugeot for normal cars, Citroën as upper-middle class car, DS brand as their most luxurious cars. But they did it this way: Citroën as budget brand, Peugeot as upper-middle class brand, DS as semi-premium brand. This is a mistake in my opinion.
As a child I had a love for a sm citroen I had a Weekend job cleaning the new cars in a citroen an fiat garage in footscray, one day the sm came in weirdly it took all day cleaning that car as was pretending to drive it I still look back fondly thinking what a great day I had
The French experience: conveyed to us by a gentlemen being the likeness of Joseph Bolongne, Chevalier to St-George; a fine musician, athlete and soldier. Nice car!
Kevin Haggarthy You’re most welcome. I really like your presentation style. After a diet of Jezza, Captain Slow and The Hamster, then some average YT car and bike guys, it’s so refreshing to find Harry Metcalf, and now your good self. The appeal is far more that just the absence of the BBC mix of smug license fee mockery, faux incompetence and bad sarcastic ‘jokes’. Genuine enthusiasm coupled with knowledge, and real appreciation of great design makes a huge difference. Kate Humble always seemed very sincere and a nice person too. I do still watch James May because he’s brilliant at explaining things, and seems to have severed his Auntie strings. Hammond hasn’t. As Stewart Lee says, he’s not even a real hamster...! 🧐😎😎 Anyway, looking forward to more vids from you. If you do bikes, even better. Cheers.
Great review of an icon of 70's futurism! I was in love with mine before I got to the end of the driveway, haha... What a car to drive! Best thing about buying a sketchy one is I get to pick the colour when I respray it... I love the blue on this one, but I'm leaning towards the "Brun Scarabee"... Cheers from Canada...
Bleu Delta is the way to go, the metallic brown will not suit the car in my opinion. It looked great on my first CX familiale though. Have a look at Dr Danche DS website for colour charts
Another of those cars that "I almost bought" in the 80's when they were pretty cheap used. I can say the same for it's soulmate, the Maserati Merak, which shared engines...
I remember going to Europe in the early 90’s after the fall. I laughed so hard when I saw my first Citreon, not that cars in the 90’s had all the best styles. Never seen an SM in person but man do I love it’s design more and more every time I see it
Thankyou for this fair and open-minded review of a motoring icon. DS, CX, and indeed the SM all required a short period of familiarization. Most motoring journalists don't give themselves the time to fall in love with big Citroens, their loss.
This particular example is my dream SM. The elegant dark blue over tobacco leather color combination, combined with the beautiful composite road wheels makes this car absolute SM perfection, sans pareil. I would not change one single thing (except perhaps get all that crap out of the boot). Oh, my God what a beautiful car!
![BOWKYLION - วิงวอน (ex-change) [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLdnZWDaO-w/mqdefault.jpg)
He is the best dressed car reviewer in history! The anti-Clarkson!
I suppose that's true.. but to be fair, that wouldn't be a very difficult title to claim! What is it with car reviewers anyways?! They always dress terribly! Look at Doug DeMuro for example. Much as I love his videos he goes to review 3 million pound cars like he's dressed to mow the lawn! In an old faded t-shirt and a pair of cargo shorts! Not that I give a crap.. just an observation.
Pinball Wizard
Yeah not that it really matters 😂
Gentleman driving a gentleman‘s car. Thank you!
When I was 8 years old at the end of the 70s, there was a caramel-coloured SM in a village close to mine. This car looked like a space shuttle compared to the entry-level cars we were used to seeing. My parents had Citroens but 2CVs or derivatives of 2CVs. In 2003, André Turcat, the former Concorde test pilot, came to give a lecture at my school in Toulouse: he parked the same caramel-coloured SM near the amphitheatre. The other students were 10 years younger than me and this image didn't move them as I was... The SM represented the unbridled imagination of French engineers before the arrival of all kinds of constraints.
Citroën fan here. This is classiest SM review I've seen. Well done!
Thankyou so much. Really appreciate your comments 👍🏼
It's the classiest car review I have ever seen, even down to the attire and vocabulary! Very debonair! Well done, my good man.
Gentleman
Même en France, c'est encore une légende de l'automobile. In France, it's a legend for ever. Big up
Citroen made the most wonderful cars , cutting edge stuff, actually light years ahead of the competition.
Now they make ninja turtles.
Thanks for your comments Chris 👍🏼 - I do agree
Light-years measure distance,not time
@@rexomniumregum2486 yea, that's what it means, he is still correct.
@@rexomniumregum2486 yes Light years... Distance, as in way ahead of the competition... There an episode of Father Ted devoted to you that may help 😂😂😂th-cam.com/video/MMiKyfd6hA0/w-d-xo.html
By god the thing is so elegant. They even went through with incorporating the number plates into the design, as not to ruin the lines.
Most of us will never get a chance to drive this amazing car. Compared to an SM, most modern automobile designs are hopelessly dull. Thanks for sharing the experience.
I feel that we are in an all time's low in terms of car design at the moment (I'm talking of relatively affordable ones, not the likes of handmade Pagani). They all look the same, and they are all rather ugly.
My two humbler BX estates had some of those ride qualities. I miss the days when cars had genuine character.
So so beautiful!!! And today...we have faceless monster-SUV everywhere.
yes, individuality is so lacking to day . Thanks for your comments
hah. and what did people have back in those days? Everubody was driving SM? Ford Cortina, Citroen 2CV, Mini. No thanks, i`d rather drive a "faceless SUV"
@@RivieraByBuick ANY of the models you named had more style than any strange SUV-tank of today. But you can drive what you want to...
To be honest, most normal 70s, 80s cars also look similar to each other.
@@donjorge8329 You're looking through the nostalgia glasses. There are also attractive suvs/crossovers, such as new KIA Sorento, DS7 Crossback, Peugeot 3008 after facelifting, Range Rover Velar, Volvo XC90, etc... They even look better than most of boxy wagons.
As a child, my mother would take us to see a dentist in Montreal. I went to talk to him and told him that I saw a crazy car from a sci-fi movie not far on the street.Then, he told that it was his car and it was a green Citroen SM. The reinforced my impression that I already had with the DS that we saw at the Auto Show. Since the beginning, every modern ideas were quickly getting their way in the Citroen and on their factories.
That just reinforces my view of dentists...😉🤨😏
10 year old me: I want a Ferrari!
Teen me: I want a Miura!
Me now: I want a Citroen SM!
The same here.
I loved the look of the SM back in the day, but when I became aware how finnicky they are, I went back to lusting for a Studebaker Avanti.
Basically my experience in a nutshell
@@5610winston Why would you want that thing?
@@randomdude9269 Which thing?
The Avanti?
Magnificent styling, bomb-proof mechanicals, fiberglass body, point-and-shoot handling, first modern caliper-type disc brake system in the US, and the fastest production car ever tested at Bonneville when it was new.
The coolest feature is when you brake, the back end sinks down, keeping the car balanced.
Yes, the braking is the most unusual dynamic aspect. There is very little of the "forward pitch" sensation that we are used to. It feels like the entire car squats down into the road, almost as if gravity suddenly got a lot stronger!
@Rover Waters , ...or slams you into the dashbord. The breaks are like dropping 4 ships anchors.
Trailing arm rear suspension causes that, it's accentuated by the suspension trying to self level at the same time, Citroen 2CVs do it as well, if the rear brakes are still working.
@@popuptoaster Agreed. The SM has trailing arm suspention on the front as well, basically DS suspention geometry turned arround.
@@trespire A Citroën (back in the days when they _were_ Citroëns) has some specialities making Your drive way better than any other drive in any other car. Those do come with a sometimes steep learning curve though, which is why the lesser gifted traffic participants often tend towards calling Citroëns from the great era "undrivable". That isn't anything to worry about though, there's an abundance of Fords and Vauxhalls and VWs and Skodas and Seats and Audis and BMWs and Mercedesses for that kinda people.
Gladly surprised to have been recommended this video - a dapper gentleman driving one of the most amazing cars ever made. Awesome!
My Dad was a big Citroen fan in the ‘70’s. He had a DS & 3 CX’s, one being a prestige, all beautiful cars & very reliable. He did often enquire about the SM but didn’t ever follow it up.
Even today this Sm looks spectacular.
Stunning car and a stunning colour too. Its classy and brilliant. Amazing what Citroen achived with this at the time.
What a gorgeous car. The reason it failed was the oil crisis of 1973. Terrible timing for cars not very on the economy side regarding gaz.
Thank you for this lovely video.
Gorgeous car, well done video. The moderator exudes class, excitement and a love for a great car.
Very kind. Thankyou so much
I would have preferred to see more of the car like the inside and less of the talking diva.
Lovely old car, very elegant and very French in a good way.
The automotive equivalent of Brigitte Bardot
The two of you were made for each other, it suits you very well!
Chique but aristocratic chique !
Cheers for your comments John
@@kevinhaggarthy3462 I second that. SM drivers are either naturals or not. You are.
I drove a Citroen SM a couple of times back in the early 1970's. They were glorious!
I used to drive a silver SM (ODP 591M) back in the late 70s in the West End of London. It's wonderful to drive and a real head turner. My all time favourite car.
You akso could have tried a Leyland Princess 2200 HLS
enfant j'ai le souvenir d'un ami de mon père qui venait avec cette MASERATI , oui il l'appelait comme ça et moi j'étais émerveillé de voir ce paquebot France arriver sur ces routes d'automnes , elle était si racée élégante majestueuse ! un jour j'en prendrai une pour remonter les temps anciens ou il faisait bon vivre merci monsieur Kevin excellente vidéo !
It's such a Beautiful car!! It was the time when Citroen produced original cars, elegant, unique, with charisma and different from the rest!
Remember seeing a dusty one in Beirut in the 90s. Looked so cool down on its lowest suspension setting with Arabic plates. Owning a CX is the closest I'll ever get to having one of these I think. Beautiful machine.
The SM has underpinnings derived from the DS. Some of the special features of the SM made their way into the CX, I believe this includes the speed variable power steering.
Absolutely _ I cant recall when I last saw a CX on the road - lucky you if you have one
@@kevinhaggarthy3462 I saw a silver restored CX on a local road during the summer before lockdown. Also local, there's a nice SM that i sometimes see on a Sunday morning - or used to....
@@kevinhaggarthy3462 Long sold to the scrap yard sadly. Fine review by the way. Enjoyed it.
Citroen and Maserati what a great collaboration. It really is a French specialty.
Collaboration is a French specialty?😂
@@k-member the car is
Can't stop seeing Burt Reynolds driving it off of the pier in The Longest Yard every time one of these in sight.
Such a beautiful car, it's always been in my lottery garage along with the DS Decapotable. Citroen made such beautiful and advanced cars back then.
The SM along with the E-type and the LP400 Countach are I think the prettiest cars ever designed. They just flow and look beautiful and make you want to drive them or simply have them in your lounge to look and smile at.
Cette Citroën SM est magnifique 😎🎩
The Splendid blue of the body matches perfectly with the Brown leather interior
Beautiful car indeed...to Cruise for long
If the Citroen DS was cool, this is even better!!! Very good video. Greetings from Spain❤💛❤
An elegant video for an elegant car. Thank you and bravo ! It reminds me of my first encounter with the SM. My father was driving a Renault as he was working for that company. No other car makers or cars could be considered acceptable for him except Citroën. And when he saw one ahead of him on the road he told me to look and I was in a state of shock : the car looked like à spaceship compare to anything at that time in France! This moment of time is still alive in my mind and I remember the music played on the radio. It was the Bee Gees with the song Tragedy which is a very climactic song. A perfect planet alignment!. What a car...
Very interesting story Monsieur!
Magnifique voiture, une légende en France, félicitation Monsieur.
Love the SM! I own an XM myself and am really into hydropneumatics, yet I have never heard about the suspension lowering when going at faster speeds! AFAIK the C5 equipped with the hydractive 3 system was the first model to change height according to speed :)
I don't know about the SM, but I know that the close following Citroen CX of the same Era had speed adapting steering force, so I would not be too much surprised by a speed adaptive riding height.
As far as I know, neither the SM, nor the later CX had "active" ride hight. Only self leveling for each axle, rigardless of the load, as it was self correcting. The CX has 4 selectable hight, the SM has 5. The XM I don't know, but the C5 is active and speed depandent.
Yes The SM does not have active height.. Steering yes. Also this car cannot be a 1970 as it has Injection, which came in 72, but it is not a 73 as the door handle changed in 73. Also the 3,0 never got IE, only carbs. Carbs do sound better. :) Regards an SM owner. (CX, XM and C6 also.. ;) )
My XM did hunker down at high speed, but I won't say where and when. I still miss it!
MB R129 SL 1989-1998 (?) had lowering of suspension once you go over 120kph
I’ve just discovered you, mainly because of the SM.
Great video, classy with a perfect allocution and a nice scenery. No fussy music, very enjoyable to watch. Bravo
Thanks so much !
Bravo Mister Kevin Haggarthy for the excellent presentation of this report on the CITROËN SM.
It's beautiful CITROËN SM is made for you!
The best report on the CITROËN SM.
Thanks so much Jean-Gilles - it would have been ideal to be driving the car en-francais!! 🙂
My late father had a sm JUS843L what a great car. He rebuild the engine twice. With parts from Andrew brodie. Remember going to London to some strange garage under the rail lines. The place was full of Italys finest. We had a DS as well. Two cars ahead of their time.
Good video, just a point : the height corrector of the hydropneumatic system is totally mechanic, the clearance does NOT depend on the speed. Only the Citroen C5 adjust clearance depending on speed, with the third generation of hydropneumatique named " Hydractive 3"
Yeah, height can be adjusted manually but does not adjust depending on the speed you drive indeed.
I'm pretty sure that the Citroen DS had swivel headlights before the SM. So probably not a 'first' .
Yup, the DS facelift introduced them two years earlier, in 1968.
And the Tucker....sort of
Tucker was first.
@@davidiscostarica6097 Duesenberg (among other super high end cars) had turning headlights in the 1930's, more than 10 years before Tucker.
I believe you are correct!
Classy man driving a classy vintage car
Snap! I laughed aloud at your introduction as I have that same Corgi Whizzwheels SM sitting on my desk today, I've had it since the late 70s as a boy. Alas, I have yet to drive my dream car. One day.
I think your model will be worth a penny or two . I loved it and would genuinely use it as a daily if I could
A good match of an elegant reviewer with an elegant car - they're made for each other.
Haha! We kind of felt that way too! 😂
Unbelievably good video of an extremely interesting car ... wow wow wow .... greetings from Poland, thumbs up!!!
Thankyou so much and so nice to hear from Poland! 👍🏼
Duesenberg had driving lights that turned with the steering wheel in 1929. They probably weren't the first though but it was on a production car.
Very envious of your luck to drive an SM and a nice review of this unique car, I had a CX estate for a couple of years and it was so nice to drive.
I always smiled starting it up first thing in morning the rear suspension lifted first then the large bonnet raised up to driving height and away you go. The self centering steering was really helpful when parking, I wish more cars today with electric power steering had this feature.
It was also the best car I have used to tow a caravan the self levelling suspension kept the caravan level, and the long wheel base made it very stable and was hardly ever affected by crosswinds or passing HGVs on motorways.
Cheers - Interesting to hear of your experiences 👍🏼
One of Citroën ' s secrets / genius innovations: the notorious (green) spheres system...yeah the DS / SM cars were total masterpieces
Very nice made review! The problem seemed to have been mainly with the engine that broke down very easily and repairs came at exorbitant cost. It was later sort out, the maserati engine timing chain tensioner had a tendency to break in rough pull push situations which caused the engine to break valves and pistons. They fixed that in the following years, but the reputation was badly damaged. For the image driven high value "jet set" audience that surely was a no go.
Many design and technical features of the SM lived on in the close following Citroen CX cars and seem to have worked relieable. CX Line cars were built up to 1991, so nearly 30 years without significant changes.
The hydraulic steering systems of SM and CX were exceptional. Go through a 3 cm deep one sided puddle with a normal car and you feel how it tries to turn your steering wheel. Got through the same puddle with a CX and you feel nothing - it takes the straight line withoud irritation. That maybe bad for occasional drivers, but I think its great for experienced drivers that don't need that feedback to make road condition decisions.
I once took a trip in a 120 horsepower CX Break (stationary wagon) that covered the distance of 1200 km (745 miles) in 10 hours, including heavy rain on a span of 300 km. (That's where the special hydraulic steering shines: no irritation forces from the street ever reach the steering wheel) After that I stepped out of the car with agile body tension. I wasn't tired at all ! Starting point was a camping site in Rome, finish was a little village in Austri, including a short break we took. I wouldn't do that nowadays for safety and legal reasons, but I was young and had a trusting girlfriend on my side. I also remember how surprised I was, beeing outpaced by a brand new Mercedes ML on the Italian Autobahn. That car did a cruising speed of 200 km/h (124 mph) with 5 people on board, which I didn't want to keep up more than a few minutes. It was a curvy part of the Autobahn in the alps. So cudos to mercedes at this point! Yes it also hit me *g* I doubt that they had an equal smooth ride like we had in the Citroen CX.
We had a Citroen Safari when I was a kid, in the early Seventies and I used to love the lift of the suspension. Happy days.
Thanks for an enjoyable video. As a child growing up in the US in the '60s, one of my favorite Corgi toys was a Citroen DS. I've always loved the uniqueness of Citroen. Never saw an SM until the mid '80s and thought it was a beautiful car.
I think my only ride in a Citroen was in an economy model during a business trip to Germany decades ago. Not the same as a DS or SM but a thrill to be riding in a Citroen, none the less. I had to satisfy my appreciation of non-traditional automobiles by nearly 40 years of Saab ownership.
Great intro to a great car!
Thanks for this, well done in actually getting to drive your dream car, very few of us do!
Fabulous car, I well recall a mate of mine driving us along a main road many years ago and a Citroen SM shot past almost silently and we were both very impressed. Very few seen these days and the innovations these cars had as mentioned in the video were world beating technology at the time, and STILL a fantastic car. Great video, thanks.
Hi Derek- Thankyou so much for taking the time to comment. It’s interesting how these cars have a lasting effect on our memories from small incidents. I am thinking of doing something on the ISO Grifo or Lambo Espada as legends of the past!
@@kevinhaggarthy3462 Well done, both if possible!
Enjoyable video. Re. the swivelling headlamps, I had a DS23 Palas, which pre-dates the SM and it too had those.
The covered headlights are warmed by air from the radiator thru ducts in order to keep the glass from fogging up. Wonderful car, when it is running,which in my experience is not often enough.
Lovely. I was 13 yrs old, when I saw the SM at the Los Angeles Auto Expo. I was blown away. I ended up owning one for 15 yrs, as well as a DS Pallas & DS Safari.
Part of their failure was the ’73 oil crisis. You can likely add their price and (in the U.S.) poor dealer service support
At this time first came the DS ,the SM and then the GS and CX incredible cars ,still to this day remarkable cars to drive(but quite expensive) ,very safe ,ultra confortable on any roads.I own and daily drive a CX 2400 Palace 1980" model,much more reliable and cheaper than the SM Maserati engine ,and I could not change for another car ,Thanks for this video.
Lovely presentation, A car ahead of its times " une machine incroyable pour le temp"
Thankyou so much
I have one, wonderful car, unfortunately I inherited it from my father and he had an accident with it shortly before his passing, I don't think we'll ever be able to have it in as great a condition as it was. It was originally restored by my father to an incredible extent, it was always the best one in meetups. Word of advice if you ever drive one, be careful with the direction, it's extremely sensitive, much more than what you would be used to when at low speed, my father use to say this car has to be steered with the thumbs haha.
J'espère que vous avez toujours votre SM et si vous en avez les moyens, je ne peux que vous recommander de la confier à RGP (anciennement Garage Régembeau) à Crèches sur Saône. Le créateur de ce garage, Georges Régembeau, était un génie qui a proposé des versions améliorées avec un moteur totalement fiabilisé et optimisé et il avait même crée une version turbodiesel de 165cv et boite six vitesses dans les années 70. C'est certainement l'un des meilleurs endroits en France pour faire réparer dignement ce monument.
I have the same Gorgitoys model of the Citroen SM. It is still my favorite toy car.
When I was a toddler the Matchbox SM was my favorite car. In the US I had many hot wheels but none compared to this odd Citroen. Over 40 years later and I still have it 🙂 great video
Thanks Rocky - hang on to the Matchbox SM !
Thank you for this very nice video. It feels so relaxed and sincere.
The SM is a masterpiece. Unfortunately they‘re getting more and more expensive as we speak. This one has an especially lovely colour combination on the in- and outside. Neven seen one like that before. It‘s quite a shame you couldn‘t keep the car. You two look like you were made for each other ;).
Thankyou so much - really appreciate your comments
Looking at a lot of retro reviews of Citroen cars. Makes me want to try the 2CV and GSA. The XM was my personal favourite after Ronin. They have character. The SM looks futuristic even today.
Beautiful car - way ahead if it’s time. Great review and video. Thanks guys. Dilip.
Thanks so much Dilip. Really appreciate your comments 👍🏼
Oops, just spotted my typo - should be ‘way ahead of it’s time’.
Now that's a clean example ! Good job.
Great! I had that metallic-green Corgi-car too, it was one my favorite childhood-cars too and I am also dreaming for so many years, to drive a Citroen SM. This video is really cool!
Thanks so much. Really appreciate your comments Martin
Cheers! - appreciate your comments!
Still an amazing-looking car, and very impressive in the flesh!
My dad had 3 DS , the most comfortable car of the century, the turning lights were all installed on the DS. He dreamt of an SM but it was just too expensive .
I had the privilege of driving a friends SM twice. And at excessive speeds too! Wonderful. Out of all the cars I have driven, and several Citroens, too, this is the greatest car ever made.
Really good review, such a lovely car!
Thanks so much! 👍🏼
Cheers Thankyou! 👍🏼
The SM was the first Citroen to have headlights that swivelled, the 1960s DS was. Hydrophobic Suspension and Self-centred Steering was also used on the DS. Same with the brakes.
Well let's be honest, the first car with swivelling headlight was Tatra 87 (and some say that it was available as the option even on Tatra 50 and 77). We are talking 30's here. Citroën adopted this on DS and SM many years after Tatra.
Hydrophobic suspension? The SM was the first Citroen with steering power assistance which reduced as the speed rose, and it was later fitted to the CX.
There were early '30s American luxury cars with swiveling headlamps, such as Cadillac V16. Also, the Tucker was planned to have a swiveling centre headlamp
Wtf is hydrophobic suspension 🤔😂😂😂
@@richardrichard5409 Don't drive in the rain.
@@richardrichard5409 It was Citroen's radical attempt to prevent the SM from rusting. The system was designed to shield the cars from rain, and thus avert the bane of monocoque cars, the dreaded tin worm. It was a clever system, but needed more development.
In my young days, driving through Morocco through Atlas Mountains at steady 50MPH when a fleet of Police outsiders at huge speed in front of bright red Citroën SM driven by King of Morocco flashed past, pushing us off the road. Wow...hugely impressive. Very desirable car
I had a Lesney Matchbox SM-that indescribable 70's bronze with an ivory interior.This is the luckiest man on earth.
Felt so on the day! 😂👍🏼
@@kevinhaggarthy3462 I can only imagine.Serie Maserati is my all time wet dream of a car.
Wow, that really is a beautiful, unique vehicle....what it must be like to walk out to your garage, open the door, and have THIS car as a choice to drive that day....✌🏻
I wish ! - Cheers
That brought back some memories, as I drove one for a few hours a quarter of a century ago. It was 'other worldly' in so many respects, but it was the amazing suspension that really gripped my attention.
I saw one in my grandfather's golf club car-park, when I must have been 6 or 7. The thing stood out as it was so futuristic. Put all the other 70s cars to shame. I've always wanted one since then.
The Citroën SM was the peak of the brand. What a beauty! From that point, it went all the way down... how is that possible with such a heritage?! Merci pour ce beau reportage, in style!
Makes you wonder why Citroen don’t revisit some of their earlier designs FFS.
I think Citroën doesn't revisit its earlier designs because its principle is innovation and not reinterpretation or tradition :)
@@nathanbrumpter2904
They’ve lost the plot with them though. Their sales show that
They did, the XM was the successor to the SM
@@BillWoodillustrator It's not because of Citroën, it's because of internal strategy of PSA group. They made a mistake of making Peugeot brand more premium than Citroën. They should do it this way: Peugeot for normal cars, Citroën as upper-middle class car, DS brand as their most luxurious cars. But they did it this way: Citroën as budget brand, Peugeot as upper-middle class brand, DS as semi-premium brand. This is a mistake in my opinion.
@@cytrynowy_melon6604 well Peugeot do own Citroen, have done since the SM bankrupted them.
As a child I had a love for a sm citroen I had a Weekend job cleaning the new cars in a citroen an fiat garage in footscray, one day the sm came in weirdly it took all day cleaning that car as was pretending to drive it I still look back fondly thinking what a great day I had
Great memories! Thanks for watching 👍🏼
I had the same Corgi! but in blue, it just took me almost 50 years back in memory!
The French experience: conveyed to us by a gentlemen being the likeness of Joseph Bolongne, Chevalier to St-George; a fine musician, athlete and soldier. Nice car!
Wonderful video ❤
What an excellent review of a truly classic car. Subscribed. Thank you for sharing
Thankyou so much for your comments
Kevin Haggarthy You’re most welcome. I really like your presentation style. After a diet of Jezza, Captain Slow and The Hamster, then some average YT car and bike guys, it’s so refreshing to find Harry Metcalf, and now your good self. The appeal is far more that just the absence of the BBC mix of smug license fee mockery, faux incompetence and bad sarcastic ‘jokes’.
Genuine enthusiasm coupled with knowledge, and real appreciation of great design makes a huge difference.
Kate Humble always seemed very sincere and a nice person too. I do still watch James May because he’s brilliant at explaining things, and seems to have severed his Auntie strings. Hammond hasn’t. As Stewart Lee says, he’s not even a real hamster...! 🧐😎😎
Anyway, looking forward to more vids from you. If you do bikes, even better. Cheers.
Pretty cool being in one with the window open while going fast.
I fell in love with the SM when I watched in the 70s the French movie " La Marge" with Joe d Allessando and Sylvia Kristel.
Oh wow! - I must watch the film ! 😀
Love the car and a slick presentation too - well done Sir
Thankyou Jeff
Merci bien de rendre à César ce qui est à César cher Monsieur.
Great review of an icon of 70's futurism! I was in love with mine before I got to the end of the driveway, haha... What a car to drive! Best thing about buying a sketchy one is I get to pick the colour when I respray it... I love the blue on this one, but I'm leaning towards the "Brun Scarabee"... Cheers from Canada...
Thanks for your comments!
Bleu Delta is the way to go, the metallic brown will not suit the car in my opinion. It looked great on my first CX familiale though.
Have a look at Dr Danche DS website for colour charts
Great to hear from Canada!
En bleu la SM est magnifique .Je n'ai jamais vu cette couleur !
Another of those cars that "I almost bought" in the 80's when they were pretty cheap used. I can say the same for it's soulmate, the Maserati Merak, which shared engines...
Had you gotten one during the 80s, you still would've spent a fortune maintaining it.
I've never seen this car in my life. Thanks to let me know
Cheers Arie!
Great presentation, very enjoyable review.
Thankyou
Thankyou so much Stuart
I remember going to Europe in the early 90’s after the fall. I laughed so hard when I saw my first Citreon, not that cars in the 90’s had all the best styles. Never seen an SM in person but man do I love it’s design more and more every time I see it
One of the most beautiful cars ever made IMO.
Thankyou for this fair and open-minded review of a motoring icon. DS, CX, and indeed the SM all required a short period of familiarization. Most motoring journalists don't give themselves the time to fall in love with big Citroens, their loss.
Cheers Ian - really glad you enjoyed it and thanks so much for the feedback. Enjoy the Easter break!
I've only ever seen this car in silver and/or possibly bronze. But looks absolutely stunning in dark blue! 👍👍
Awesome review... love it 👏
Thanks so much and very grateful for the positive feedback. More to come! 👍🏼
This particular example is my dream SM. The elegant dark blue over tobacco leather color combination, combined with the beautiful composite road wheels makes this car absolute SM perfection, sans pareil. I would not change one single thing (except perhaps get all that crap out of the boot).
Oh, my God what a beautiful car!
Used to commute in my SM & only got love from fellow travelers - one of best examples has been meaningful nods from bikers!
Beautiful car and great review, thank you.
Thanks so much!
Love the sitting down scene at first, very well shot !
Thanks so much - hope you enjoyed the video
@@kevinhaggarthy3462 I did !
Just stunningly beautiful , in and outside . Its the kind of car that gives
you the goosebumps .
Who needs a Ferrari ?