The first time I ever saw and rode in a Citroen was when my friend's father purchased a new 1956 Citroen DS. That 10 year old fell in love with Citroen forever. Thirty years later while on an assignment in Strasbourg, France, I had the privilege to be driven from the Hotel Sofitel to the airport in a Citroen SM. The analogy of a magic carpet ride that Tyrrell used was perfect..they were way ahead of their time and their designs are nothing short of being artistic..beautiful machines.
Hello Ian, Thanks for your amazing videos, and all the explanations you provide. I own a Citroen SM injection and I would like to share a few comments: • The lights are not only turning but they always stay level (horizontal) even when the car pitches . This is due to an hydraulic link in between the lights and the rear torsion bar • The steering wheel was the 1st one in Europe to be adjustable both in length and height. • The power of the assisted hydraulic steering reduces has the speed increase. • 1st car with a wind screen glued. • Like the DS it is wider on the front than in the back and the length in between the front wheel is 20cm longueur than the length in between the rear wheels. • The engine was designed from scratch and has no common parts with the V8. What is true is that Alfieri wanted to show to Citroen people a V6 after just a few weeks following the brief and he took a V8 and cut off 2 cylinders but this was only a moc-up. • The ‘puissance fiscal i.e. CV’ is calculated using a complex equation but in reality is mainly linked on the capacity of the engine; 400CC = 2CV (the famous 2 CV Citroen), 1,100cc = 6 CV, 2,000CV = 11CV , 2,670cc = 15CV for the SM and the Range Rover with 3,500cc = 20 CV • My understanding of the design of the front suspension is that when you take a corner and the car rolls, the surface of the tyres remain entirely in contact with the road surface, like when going strait. The wheel remains perfectly perpendicular to the road surface. And when you drive on bumpy surfaces the wheels keeps directing the car absolutely strait with absolutely no movements of the wheels to the right or to the left. And of course the steering wheel does not move at all. I think this improves the grip vs most of the conventional suspension designs. When they launched the car in 1970 they invited journalists and they pushed them to do a test which consisted in going at 100 miles/h through a big puddle with their hands off the steering wheel. Scary but the car does not deviate from its trajectory by one inch. Same in case of a front tyre puncture. Now it is true that it is set to under-steer but not that much, and with the super quick steering ratio it is quite easy to eliminate this effect and even to force the car to over-steer slightly when entering a curve. The only down side is that the front tyres do not last long… • The design of the back has the shape of a kammback, which is very aerodynamic indeed but the flip on the boot may also be motivated by the necessity to fit the square registration plates of Italy and USA which were square and not rectangular. Without the flip they don’t fit. NB: In my view those square plates ruin the aesthetic. • The SM could also be equipped with super light wheel made of resin. At the time Michelin owned a big part of Citroen and they licenced the technology developed for the rover that was sent to the moon and created this resin (sort of re enforced carbon) super light wheel (4.5Kg each instead of around 9Kg for the standard ones made of steel). Another innovation. • Another feature is the design of the rear suspension which makes the car to stay horizontal when braking hard and therefore shorten the braking distance by reducing transfer weight. Motor Trend registered the shorten ever braking distance when testing the SM. I have a comparative from Car and Drivers; 70-0mph : SM:178 feets, Lotus Elan +2s 130 : 186 feets, Mercdes 280 SEL 4.5 and Porsche 911S: above 210 feets. • The SM was the first non-American car to be awarded the price of ‘car of the year’ in 1972 by Motor Trend. • The SM won the rally of Maroco in 1971. I hope this additional features and comments will be of interest to yourself and your audience. Best, Jaime
Thanks for the details. I saw one for sale a number of years ago to an English motor cycle grand prix champion in New Zealand for about £50,000. He lived here and it was his car for many years. A very impressive car!
There's nothing like listening to someone who clearly knows cars inside out and backwards. Being a decades long "citroeniste", this was, by far, the best SM video I've ever watched. Iain's car knowledge is encyclopedic. A true master of the dark arts of mechanics.
@@78MerakSS Well, coincidentally, this weekend, (21/1/23) I'm flying over to Sweden to view an SM fitted with an SS engine. If it is half as good as it looks and I've been led to believe, come Monday, I could be an SM owner. (To add to my CX 2.5 Pallas & 2 XMs.)
Great video Ian (as always); thank you for that! One correction if I may; it is a stubborn misunderstanding that the engine in the SM is a modified Maserati V8 with two cilinders lopped off. While Giulio Alfieri (Maserati’s Head Engineer) did indeed use such a modified engine (still around, in the Panini collection) to evaluate what such an engine would produce in terms of power and in torque, Alfieri then set out to develop - from scratch - the engine that was actually used in the SM. Big differences with the Maserati V8 of course are the location of the chains (at the end of the block on the V8; in the middle on the SM V6) and the use of an intermediary shaft on the SM engine. The angle of 90 degrees was chosen to keep the engine low enough to fit under the hood of the SM. A special, double, ignition system was developed to create good sparks even on the uneven firing sequence caused by the angle. These facts are corroborated by Maserati factory historian Ermanno Cozza, and by interviews with Alfieri himself. See the excellent book of Marc Sonnery - Maserati: the Citroen years, chapter 3. Ironically (and confusingly), Maserati did make a prototype of a planned, new V8 by modifying the SM V6! They wanted to use that new V8 in the new Quoattroporte (the “old” Maserati V8 was deemed too heavy and old fashioned by then). This prototype engine also still exists; it was also bought by the Panini family and later sold to Philip Kantor, who put it an SM to make the one and only SM V8!
I've always had a fascination with this car...A guy at school would drive his Dad's SM to school and I would go talk about it and fawn over it...This was in 1977...it was a spaceship in South Florida in my mind...I never stopped being in awe of it's weird and genius quality.
@@julienbee3467 ...it was very rare...they were sold at dealerships that were for other brands...there was one dealership in Miami that had about 6...but that was in 1982...probably long after they were produced overseas.
Would LOVE to see a segment devoted entirely to the quirks, features, and technology of the hydropneumatic system. How it works, how it was developed, how it evolved, and how to maintain one!
many years ago we had Dian / , not sure of spelling, .Only 600cc but, my friend had a 2litre Cortina. I took him thru an area wear he lived that was full of speed bumps lol.... He cringed just before we got to the first one at 40mph... then started laughing. He was amazed how the glide over bumps.
Thank you Iain for giving the SM the credit it deserves. I have a funny story about this car: My father was driving a CX2000 in the middle seventies and his boss, Piet, drove a DS23 Pallas, and felt he was in need of an upgrade. The Citroën dealership offered him to take an SM on one of his business trips to Germany. As Autobahns were almost empty and completely unlimited in the seventies, both Piet and my father were used to drive flat out on the Autobahns. So did Piet with the SM. As Piet was doing over 200kph he entered a curve in the Autobahn (a left-hander if I remember correctly), but as Piet new the road well, he kept his foot to the floor, which was what he always did with his DS, but at lower speeds off course. But as the curve started to tighten a little something crazy happened. Due to the high horsepower to the frontwheels of the SM, the car had an LSD, so what happened when the curve tightened, the LSD disengaged all of a sudden and this caused the car to spin immediately. And this with a speed over 200kph! The car tolled around bouncing from barrier to barrier, effectively wrecking the car. But Piet was in luck as the Autobahn was empty when it happened, he didn't hit any other traffic and got out unscaved. Of course he did not buy an SM, but opted for a Mercedes 450SEL6.9. Quite a contrast you think? Well yes,, but both cars had the same suspension, that's what Piet wanted.
An interesting story. I've had cars with Torsen diffs and their effect was always totally smooth, unnoticeable, except more traction. I can't imagine the fear of the diff suddenly locking at 200kph on a fast curve. I wonder what type of diff the DM has? I even fitted the Torsen (and larger clutch) from a Rover 620ti to my MGF (apart from ratios the gearboxes were the same) and it transformed the traction in any weather with no vices whatsoever. Finally, what did the dealer say about the wrecking of his SM demonstrator? PS I also had a Citroen GS in the dim and distant. That was a wonderful car with the hydropneumatic brakes and suspension and revvy OHC air cooled flat four but service intervals were 3000 miles as it ate spark plugs and disc pads. Have a happy time with the SM, I am very envious.
Thank you, Sir. You made me travel to my mid twenties, when I was invited to share an office of lawyer with a famous colleague who was the happy owner of a SM. His success and also mine in a different scale. Fantastic car!
Half way around the world, just came back from night shift, warmed up the food, a glass lovely of Portuguese wine, open youtube and, voilá: a new Tyrrel video and on the merveilleux Citroen SM. Bliss! Best way to compensate for dining by yourself.
What a beautiful car! I remember trying to chase one of these through poor country roads of Northern NSW, Australia about 1970 something while driving a very modified MGB GT V8. The chase lasted about 5 minutes before fear of dying to over. The SM disappeared into the distance. They have been on my classic car list (and the DS) for ages. I have driven a few DS models and as you say, the ride feel is unique.
When I was a kid an older neighbor owned one and took me for a ride to show me that he could remove one front wheel. The car was so well balanced we drove all over and never never missed the front wheel on at all.
They are front wheel drive you can drive most hydropneumatc Citroens on 3 wheels on high suspension setting with one back wheel revived. Not a front wheel. You change wheels front or rear with the suspension and a little stand. No need for a jack. GS & CX had a small wind up jack instead of the adjustable stand.
I remember waiting for Johan Cruijff in my hometown near Amsterdam back in the 70s. Cruijff was there for a book signing. Making a big entrance, he skidded around the corner, screeching tyres. He obviously expected all attention to be on him when he got out, being the best footballer in the world at the time. The look on his face when the crowd ran past him and just pushed and shoved to get as close to his SM as we could. We were all in awe as we'd never seen a car as cool as that. As Ajax supporters we saw Cruijff every week, so he could wait.
I wonder if this was the particular SM that passed me on the A55 outside Abergele a few weeks back. It looked incredible on the road. Futuristic, even by today's standards. Thanks for showing us Ian.
The various pieces of trim and details make this car look classy and expensive. I like the way the waistline graduates from a curve to a crease at the rear. It’s a production ‘concept’ car. The fascia in a brushed metal finish, and interior, must have been ultra modern for the time. The car’s colour is the perfect shade of green. It’s looks and specifications make it one of the most interesting cars I’ve ever seen
One for your personal collection Mr Tyrrell. Don't see many SM's in France anymore, let alone in the northwest. Spotting one in the south of France was a novelty in the late 70's and early 80's when DS's and CX's were everywhere. Keep it if you like it and make sure it has yellow bulbs fitted 😊
Thoroughly enjoyed delving into the hydraulic machinations of Citroen! I was an ETO in the Merchant Navy, among my responsibilities was looking after electro-hydraulic deck cranes. Following from that it is quite easy to understand Citroen's theory regarding both the DS (another lovely car) and the SM, a truly lovely car indeed.
Dutch/Spanish soccer player Johan Cruyff used to have an SM in exactly the same color. And the french gendarmerie used SM's for highway patroling. Very special luxury GT car!
My GOD! I would LOVE one of those. Ever since owning an ID in the 70s I have been besotted by these Citroens. Many thanks for posting this. Until you have driven one of this era of Citroens, you haven't lived.
In 1972 one the neighbours purchased one, white with brown leather interior. To 14 year old me, it was like a spaceship compared to the usual Mercury's, Oldsmobile's, Buick's that populated the driveways in the area, and I would spend a lot of time just looking at it. There are so many interesting details in the design, and it still looks quite modern for being over 50 years old, which can't be said for pretty much any other car from that era. He sold it after about 6 months because he had so many issues with it.
I'm sure it held the record at the time for shortest braking distance from 60 mph and even today very few cars could better it. I am struggling to find the actual distance but it was very impressive. Just found it, 60mph to standstill in 106 ft (32.3 meters).
I know they are barely comparable, but I had a Citroen XM, it’s ride was sensational. I’d drive from Fife to the South of France almost in a single hit and would arrive refreshed. As a long distance cruiser it was excellent, but on the sport setting, the suspension stiffened up and its roadholding was pin sharp. I’d have another in a heartbeat if I could find one.
Peter, i also had a XM , around 2000, it had the 3.0 l motor. Great car to drive and so much room. The SM had a feel all of its own nothing like the later big Citroen's
Great video, a very enjoyable watch which brought back some great memories. I did my apprenticeship at Middleton Motors in Potters Bar which was a Citroen dealership, we saw lots of SM's as the owner (Roy Middleton) was a big fan. They converted 3 to RHD as I think they were hoping to have a tie up with Citroen to import more but the oil crisis put a stop to it, would be great to know what happened to them (the boss had one that was painted black and white). They had a problem with the chain that drove the jack shaft as it didn't have a tensioner (or there was a problem with it) and developed a fix with Reynolds, as the chain was against the bulkhead the whole power unit had to come out - remember it used to take me 9 hours just to remove it! The distributor had 2 sets of 'cassette' points one mounted on top of the other which were a nightmare to set up - Middleton's developed an electronic conversion with Lumminetion but even that was complicated due to the offset firing order. As an aside I notice on your roadtest the steering wheel is down to the right slightly - there is a cam adjuster between the centralising unit (on column) and steering rack to rectify - spent ages driving up and down a straight road getting it aligned!
Great post. Friend of mine, a retired Delta Air Lines Captain, bought one of these back in 1971 I believe it was. He still drives it on special occasions and it runs superbly. Very detailed/informative presentation here, I liked it so much I subscribed with notifications. (And sent link to this post to my friend). Cheers.
If you are Iain's age (like me), you would have seen all of the Classic cars that make this world really interesting. Kids growing-up today, may never see those old-time Classics. We are fortunate to have Iain pass-on his wealth of knowledge. I liked the time where modern plastics did not exist, and many cars made today will hardly have a 'classic' status, other than those exotic marques. Thank you for a great lesson on the Citroen SM. Greetings from Sydney.
I always watch these videos as a special treat. Now he has got two of my all-time dream cars in, the SM and the FF. Unbelievable, just bliss. The only thing I disliked was that it ended after only 20 minutes. I could have watched for hours.
I can say that seeing this stray patch of unfortunately placed water is part of what I enjoy about your channel. I want to see car enthusiasts and specialists talking about cars, not journalists or actors with high budget film crews. As long as your videos stay loaded to the brim with fascinating information and excellent autos, you could present them all in drag or hanging upside down for all I care!
I love this car. Brilliant engineering and stunning beauty! You are very charismatic and your delivery is superb. You do the SM justice! Thank you so very much sir! I really enjoyed this
The SM is an absolutely iconic car and I really like the way you present it, with your in-depth knowledge, but also your love for the technology and design.
For it’s time amazing engineering and stunning design. Unrivaled suspension, even today nobody has really beaten that grand turismo style ride quality! Thank you for taking us along, another super installment on automotive history 👍.
If i didn't have the most utmost respect for Iain and his TH-cam channel i would leave a mean comment about the past ownership of this amazing car by the man called Mike Brewer. Maybe in the inner circles of the British collector car market he is beloved but just the thought that this classic Citroen SM being once owned by him makes my stomach turn. Now on to the car....This green exterior color has to be the nicest color offered by Citroen for these SM's. I have a very special history with the Citroen SM as a childhood boy. I live in the United States and these cars are even MORE rare here than the rest of Europe. But when i was growing up, my best friend's father owned a 1972??(maybe 73) Citroen SM in white exterior and camel leather interior. It had the factory 5 speed manual transmission and had the American spec round headlights behind the plastic covers in the front. It was stored away only to be extruded when his father would drive it down to the local car meetups/shows. As a side note, my small New England town has a authorized Citroen dealership back in the 1960-1970's and even after they stopped selling new cars, that dealership went on to service the car in particular and many other for years to come. At first, i thought the car was extremely ugly but the shape and unique character of the car began to grow on me. On weekend day, my best friend asked if i wanted to go with them to the local car show and i agreed. Both him and I had to sit in the back seat(2+2) and for being a smaller build child, it was quite comfortable. I can still remember when he pulled out of his local street onto the main road and opened it up. The sound of that Maserati engine and surge of power i felt in the backseat of that car was just amazing. When we pulled up to the show, EVERYONE was looking at us. And i'm not exaggerating. Of Course we were the only ones there in a Citroen period, let alone an SM. And when i finally got to see the hydro-pnematic suspension in action, i was in total awe. This video brought back all those memories and i honestly think this is the 10th time i've watched this video. So i can totally understand why so many people asked about this car in the background. And i'm so thankful that i got to ride in one of these truly unique and rare cars. Thank you Mr. Tyrrell for showcasing this vehicle.
Was lucky enough to own two SM's - loved them both, over the years - took them all over France on grand tours which they were built for - not to be kept in a garage for ages on end - that's when they bite !!! they need to be driven - sold for good money to a Suisse gent - now have BX16v & MR-2 SW-20 to keep me sane - but life is short - so my advise if you can - go for it - own an SM drive & Enjoy it !!!
Many years ago I was driving behind one of these and as it pulled away from a roundabout onto the A12 (Gants Hill in Romford) it's engine blew spectacularly with a loud bang and clouds of white smoke. Must be forty odd years ago now and whenever I see an SM I always felt a pang of sorrow for that particular cars owner .
I used to know the area well, driving around serving writs and summonses. You can't really see the join between Redbridge and Romford, all the same to me.
I’ve been a car nut for 5 decades worked in the motor trade and worked on some exotic and classic cars and thought I knew a thing or two, then I found this TH-cam channel and discovered I’ve only skimmed the surface of knowledge and love the details and nuances that Ian goes into,every Tyrell video is a learning day. If I could turn back time I’d been queuing up to get a job there, the depth of knowledge and quality of work that goes into those cars is very obvious to see.
Listening to Iain talk about cars really is a joy... such a knowledgeable yet unassuming and approachable manner, his enthusiasm always shines through and makes these videos a real pleasure to watch. Many thanks for making these videos and to Iain for sharing his wealth of knowledge with us. I look forward to more videos in the coming year... and I'd SO love to visit the workshop, even if just to watch the staff there on the various projects. Fantastic!
Best auto show on the inter web by far. Been a fan since the very first Harrys garage debut. All the best for 2022 to you and all your crew in front of and behind the screen. I must say the production presentation is really exceptional which compliments the knowledge being shared. G
Fascinating Iain. Beautiful car. I always remember my dad telling me they had Maserati engines (I’m 48 now), and used to know a colleague that owned one, but it was very tatty. If I see one (which isn’t very often) I always stop to admire these cars, as they’re so unique.
Funny I just watched the episode with Jeremy and Richard driving this car then you come on with the actual car It has to be an amazing car for being built in 1970 👍👍
Well spoken, when engineers really could think outside the box, and make what not other were making. These days almost all are making the same cars, if you peel of the badges from a SUV almost all of them could be a KIA.
unfortunately this is also what made Citroen less successful overall. quirky is not a mass selling feature. 2CV was loved, but only in Europe. The DS was a wonderful car but with a 4 cylinder only it just did not have the ooomph people were looking for. 6 cylinders were reserved for the Peugeots
I truly enjoyed the video. I’ve never been much of a Citroën fan, primarily b/c of the disturbing styling; although, the engineering is fascinating. Keep up the great work!
Iain, I can assure you that the steering wheel of an SM is directly connected to the front wheels through a completely normal rack and pinion arrangement. The lack of feedback is a result of almost total hydraulic irreversibility. You can definitely maintain control of an SM should the engine stop and hydraulic pressure falls right down to zero in the accumulator (you could reach that state of affairs with repeated on off application of the brakes or of course a rupture in the hydraulic system). I very much like your videos, best regards and wishes for this new year. It has to be better than the last, right? On consideration, I've oversimplified the description. The physical link between the steering wheel and the steering box exists but one would never be aware of it unless there was a complete loss of hydraulic pressure, it then manifests as slop in the steering and of course you have to be Hercules to turn the wheels at a standstill.
Probably my car. Still in Reno. And if you're the Dave Mulligan I know, I gave your son a ride in it years ago. He called it the Citrus Car. Yep, damned small world.
@@chasm6698 Small world, indeed, although I must be a different Dave M, because I only have a daughter :) We used to visit Tahoe frequently when my sister-in-law lived in Incline Village, but I've always lived on the East coast since coming to the US. Either way, you have a beautiful car!
@@davidmulligan42 Not the Dave I knew, but quite a name coincidence. That Dave was married to a friend of mine, but they split long ago. Anyway, thanks for answering and for your compliments on my Cit!
Another great video thanks. In the mid 1980’s I was lucky enough to know someone who had one of these. It was like riding in a 1950’s idea of the future. You expected it to hover.
Now manufacturers seem to like to make cars bumpy...."For good handling" or a "Feel for the road".....feels great as you bump up and down and fly into a tree...
@@johnsmith1474 I drove DS Citroens for over 30 years, the hydraulics are reliable if they are maintained and you have some practical knowledge, it is also MUCH more comfortable than any new car I have tried including Tesla Model S
Brilliant video Iain . This is my absolute favourite car. Never owned one but if won the lottery would be my first purchase. So informative, great back story and a great delivery. Keep the great videos coming Iain.
I love the content and the info you give out Iain, but the icing on the cake is the drive. It feels like you're in the car too and you can almost feel it, along with the engine note it gives a real sense of occasion. The SM is just a beautiful thing to behold, it would definitely be in my car collection if my numbers ever come up!
Equal length wishbones weren't "to have less grip" they made it possible to have the steering pivot point through the centre of the front wheels meant no bump steer whatsoever. Also it meant that the inside wheels were not at weird angles so in actual fact they had more grip than the inside wheels on a conventional car especially with the flexible suspension keeping those inside wheels on the ground gripping.😀 All part of what made this car one of the most stable ever built.
@@steveflor9942 No Steve because a conventional car has the upper pivot point high up where the McPherson strut upper mount is or connected to an upper wishbone pivot outside of the front wheel. The DS or SM has both front suspension pivot points within the front wheel exactly inline with the centre turning axis of the wheel which gives incredible stability in comparison.
Correct. It was achieve centre-point steering geometry. The DIRAVI steering was there to create an artificial self-centring effect, as the car ran no camber/castor so as to not interfere with the ride quality. (While we're here, the engine wasn't a V8 with two barrels hacked off, it was ground up. Citroen bought Maserati specifically to make the C114 engine).
Brilliant, I enjoyed that thanks, and really like the SM. The closest I've had to it was an XM - 3 litre with full luxury spec that I bought at auction maybe around 2003 for £225. The ride and comfort was sublime and will always stand out in that respect. I scrapped it when the suspension failed, and I regret doing that.
Once again an excellent and informative video on one of my very favourite cars. As Iain mentioned Brigitte Bardot, I can now daydream of driving across Europe in the early 70s with BB by my side!!
Nice review. I sold my SM in 2019 after a couple of years ownership. Iain's comments on drive and handling are pretty spot-on. Its party piece is to muller speedbumps wihout noticing. On my first motorway drive a stone smashed the glass nose on one side - yes it is glass and not easy to find so I would advise protecting the nose with helicopter tape. The hydraulic pump is supposed to go at least 30 seconds before recycling which I never managed to attain and it was that plus the annoying habit of dribbling hydraulic fluid from the seals as the car was parked that I think led to to sell it. The only real issue I had during my ownership was a blown head gasket not manly kilometers after the engine had been rebuilt in Holland. The UK specialists told me there were two types of head gasket on the market - one which dissolved into porridge after a couple of 000 km and the other which never gave trouble. Sadly , the Dutch marque experts had gone for the former. I am pleased I owned mine. It scratched a longterm itch. The previous Dutch owner had spent EUR85k on making a very good example as good as he could so it sold well when I decided to pass it on with R M Sotheby in Essen in 2019.
I looked at a brown one in Santa Cruz around 2005. Unfortunately it was of the toss-the-loose-parts-in-the-trunk-and-drag-it-away variety, passed from one impoverished dreamer to the next.
@@danpatterson8009 different car but I went to buy a Jensen Interceptor once, mechanically ok but there weren't many bits of bodywork where a magnet would stick. 250 mile round trip but was nice to hear the engine nonetheless.
One of the dream rides or better yet drives, Citroen SM. My late father worked with Citroen's in the 70's and 80's and drove SM and he loved it! He owned many other Citroens but not SM I think.
These are beautiful - I have an unhealthy obsession with the DS. I could point out fascinating design details all day on this car. So glad you made this your personal vehicle! (I think the seats look perfect)
The most annoying part of your videos is when they are over! Ugh! I guess I will have to queue up a number of them to keep watching more! :) In the 70s, I lived in Colorado in the country, and there was a neighbor about a kilometer away that had a Citroen SM. I kick myself (I was 14 at the time) for not visiting and talking to him about it. It has alway been a fascinating car to me. I have a 1/43 scale Superfast from Lesney Matchbox that I collected along with a Lamborghini Miura that I still have. Keep up the great work! Love your videos!
It’s just one of the most beautifully quirky cars ever made. A true masterpiece of engineering flawed though it might be. I hope we’ll be seeing more of this magnificent machine as you work your way through it. When faithfully restored the leather interior of these cars is exquisite and typifies the period so well. They just don’t make cars like this anymore, some would say that a good thing, but we didn’t get where we are today without engineering like this, where executives weren’t afraid of breaking the mould to create legends.
Back in the early 70s l was at pre launch at Citroen/ Maserati technical centre in Slough ,.it was covered up but as tech's we had to unveil it to see it first hand,we got a bollicking, well worth it . Had many hours working on them , EFI was much smoother and responsive .Happy days at Bristol Street Motor in Sherwood Nottingham.
Excellent video, the quirks of an SM are such that you did miss one. They are self jacking. You use the ride height control to raise the car insert the support rod and then select low and the tire rises off the ground. This leads to many people demoing driving the cars around on 3 wheels. The fronts on SMs are inboard brakes like an E type. Just amazingly funky cars
Back in the 70's my father had a import / export business. Though his personal car was a excellent Renault 16 TS, which was a better cruiser than his business car, a Cortina mk3 1.6. Regular trips from Calais to Marseille he would be passed with a whoosh by Citroen DS's. The sight of 6 yellow headlamps coming up behind signified a SM going like a bat out of hell, almost silently.
I have been fortunate enough to own several 1980s Citroens and they all had the hydropneumatic system. They are brilliantly simple to work on and provided exceptional braking and ride quality and were a revelation. I wish modern manufacturers had the courage and panache of this once great marque.
Great video. The SM is probably my favourite car and I could spend hours just looking at it, especially the rear, a masterpiece and something so from the 70's. I am in love!
I am interested in classic cars although I’m not particularly mechanically minded I find Iain’s style of presentation very relaxing and very informative without going over the top. The Citroen SM would absolutely be on my shopping list if my numbers. came up - just a beautiful piece of art/ sculpture on wheels.
That V6 has a great sound! I wonder if fitting a more modern variable displacement AC compressor would reduce shock loads to the intermediate shaft to safe levels? The clutch wouldn't need to cycle anymore. GM has used them on their 4 cylinder cars since the 80s, VW has used them on every R134a equipped car.
I have been a fan of the Citroen SM (in America) from the first time I saw one "in the flesh" back in 1975. They are simply gorgeous, and the technology is awe inspiring. Alas, even though I can afford one now, I am all but sure that one of those things would have bankrupted me back in the day. Thank you, Mr. Tyrrell, for a truly excellent video on this very rare (in the U.S.) and classic car.
Please excuse the rather unfortunate looking wet patch caused by hand washing in a small sink just before filming, and then forgotten about!
It does look a bit suspicious. Edit: you may want to pin the comment, just in case.
Iain loves a Citroen!
@@ichiban8558 A lot!
I get the same wet patch whenever i see an SM.
I had to rewatch… all eyes were on the SM and both ears on you, Mr Tyrrell.
No other manufacturer would have ever built such a machine Bravo Citreon..
The first time I ever saw and rode in a Citroen was when my friend's father purchased a new 1956 Citroen DS. That 10 year old fell in love with Citroen forever. Thirty years later while on an assignment in Strasbourg, France, I had the privilege to be driven from the Hotel Sofitel to the airport in a Citroen SM. The analogy of a magic carpet ride that Tyrrell used was perfect..they were way ahead of their time and their designs are nothing short of being artistic..beautiful machines.
This car is a masterpiece of design and engineering.
Hello Ian,
Thanks for your amazing videos, and all the explanations you provide. I own a Citroen SM injection and I would like to share a few comments:
• The lights are not only turning but they always stay level (horizontal) even when the car pitches . This is due to an hydraulic link in between the lights and the rear torsion bar
• The steering wheel was the 1st one in Europe to be adjustable both in length and height.
• The power of the assisted hydraulic steering reduces has the speed increase.
• 1st car with a wind screen glued.
• Like the DS it is wider on the front than in the back and the length in between the front wheel is 20cm longueur than the length in between the rear wheels.
• The engine was designed from scratch and has no common parts with the V8. What is true is that Alfieri wanted to show to Citroen people a V6 after just a few weeks following the brief and he took a V8 and cut off 2 cylinders but this was only a moc-up.
• The ‘puissance fiscal i.e. CV’ is calculated using a complex equation but in reality is mainly linked on the capacity of the engine; 400CC = 2CV (the famous 2 CV Citroen), 1,100cc = 6 CV, 2,000CV = 11CV , 2,670cc = 15CV for the SM and the Range Rover with 3,500cc = 20 CV
• My understanding of the design of the front suspension is that when you take a corner and the car rolls, the surface of the tyres remain entirely in contact with the road surface, like when going strait. The wheel remains perfectly perpendicular to the road surface. And when you drive on bumpy surfaces the wheels keeps directing the car absolutely strait with absolutely no movements of the wheels to the right or to the left. And of course the steering wheel does not move at all. I think this improves the grip vs most of the conventional suspension designs. When they launched the car in 1970 they invited journalists and they pushed them to do a test which consisted in going at 100 miles/h through a big puddle with their hands off the steering wheel. Scary but the car does not deviate from its trajectory by one inch. Same in case of a front tyre puncture. Now it is true that it is set to under-steer but not that much, and with the super quick steering ratio it is quite easy to eliminate this effect and even to force the car to over-steer slightly when entering a curve. The only down side is that the front tyres do not last long…
• The design of the back has the shape of a kammback, which is very aerodynamic indeed but the flip on the boot may also be motivated by the necessity to fit the square registration plates of Italy and USA which were square and not rectangular. Without the flip they don’t fit. NB: In my view those square plates ruin the aesthetic.
• The SM could also be equipped with super light wheel made of resin. At the time Michelin owned a big part of Citroen and they licenced the technology developed for the rover that was sent to the moon and created this resin (sort of re enforced carbon) super light wheel (4.5Kg each instead of around 9Kg for the standard ones made of steel). Another innovation.
• Another feature is the design of the rear suspension which makes the car to stay horizontal when braking hard and therefore shorten the braking distance by reducing transfer weight. Motor Trend registered the shorten ever braking distance when testing the SM. I have a comparative from Car and Drivers; 70-0mph : SM:178 feets, Lotus Elan +2s 130 : 186 feets, Mercdes 280 SEL 4.5 and Porsche 911S: above 210 feets.
• The SM was the first non-American car to be awarded the price of ‘car of the year’ in 1972 by Motor Trend.
• The SM won the rally of Maroco in 1971.
I hope this additional features and comments will be of interest to yourself and your audience. Best, Jaime
Thanks for the details. I saw one for sale a number of years ago to an English motor cycle grand prix champion in New Zealand for about £50,000. He lived here and it was his car for many years. A very impressive car!
I read your comment like a Citroen bible, love it !
@jhdb2194 Great comment!! 😍😍😍
@@deltajohnny thanks
The SM just never gets even middle aged, let alone old. Just the most extraordinary car ever made.
There's nothing like listening to someone who clearly knows cars inside out and backwards. Being a decades long "citroeniste", this was, by far, the best SM video I've ever watched. Iain's car knowledge is encyclopedic. A true master of the dark arts of mechanics.
Very well said. I was enthralled by the details provided and feel thoroughly enlightened.
Yes an excellent video.
I have a Maserati Merak SS with the sister engine. Great sound.
@@78MerakSS Well, coincidentally, this weekend, (21/1/23) I'm flying over to Sweden to view an SM fitted with an SS engine. If it is half as good as it looks and I've been led to believe, come Monday, I could be an SM owner. (To add to my CX 2.5 Pallas & 2 XMs.)
@@silkdestroyerhow did it go?
100% would have one in my lotto garage.
Great video Ian (as always); thank you for that! One correction if I may; it is a stubborn misunderstanding that the engine in the SM is a modified Maserati V8 with two cilinders lopped off. While Giulio Alfieri (Maserati’s Head Engineer) did indeed use such a modified engine (still around, in the Panini collection) to evaluate what such an engine would produce in terms of power and in torque, Alfieri then set out to develop - from scratch - the engine that was actually used in the SM.
Big differences with the Maserati V8 of course are the location of the chains (at the end of the block on the V8; in the middle on the SM V6) and the use of an intermediary shaft on the SM engine.
The angle of 90 degrees was chosen to keep the engine low enough to fit under the hood of the SM. A special, double, ignition system was developed to create good sparks even on the uneven firing sequence caused by the angle.
These facts are corroborated by Maserati factory historian Ermanno Cozza, and by interviews with Alfieri himself. See the excellent book of Marc Sonnery - Maserati: the Citroen years, chapter 3.
Ironically (and confusingly), Maserati did make a prototype of a planned, new V8 by modifying the SM V6! They wanted to use that new V8 in the new Quoattroporte (the “old” Maserati V8 was deemed too heavy and old fashioned by then). This prototype engine also still exists; it was also bought by the Panini family and later sold to Philip Kantor, who put it an SM to make the one and only SM V8!
Bravo!
Thanks to say the truth, not a old fake history said for decades!
Fascinating 👌
"but I digress". No. Digress more - it's absolutely facinating
I've always had a fascination with this car...A guy at school would drive his Dad's SM to school and I would go talk about it and fawn over it...This was in 1977...it was a spaceship in South Florida in my mind...I never stopped being in awe of it's weird and genius quality.
Was it rare in the US ?
@@julienbee3467 ...it was very rare...they were sold at dealerships that were for other brands...there was one dealership in Miami that had about 6...but that was in 1982...probably long after they were produced overseas.
I'm trying to get my head around a schoolboy driving an SM.
Would LOVE to see a segment devoted entirely to the quirks, features, and technology of the hydropneumatic system. How it works, how it was developed, how it evolved, and how to maintain one!
He's already done one: th-cam.com/video/LMh1AlIbbs4/w-d-xo.html
many years ago we had Dian / , not sure of spelling, .Only 600cc but, my friend had a 2litre Cortina. I took him thru an area wear he lived that was full of speed bumps lol.... He cringed just before we got to the first one at 40mph... then started laughing. He was amazed how the glide over bumps.
th-cam.com/video/LMh1AlIbbs4/w-d-xo.html
Ian did that earlier look it up, also Jay leno loves his SM
There is the episode on the CX where Iain talks about the suspension. Also the Leno one. Gas and oil in the large green spheres
Thank you Iain for giving the SM the credit it deserves. I have a funny story about this car: My father was driving a CX2000 in the middle seventies and his boss, Piet, drove a DS23 Pallas, and felt he was in need of an upgrade. The Citroën dealership offered him to take an SM on one of his business trips to Germany. As Autobahns were almost empty and completely unlimited in the seventies, both Piet and my father were used to drive flat out on the Autobahns. So did Piet with the SM. As Piet was doing over 200kph he entered a curve in the Autobahn (a left-hander if I remember correctly), but as Piet new the road well, he kept his foot to the floor, which was what he always did with his DS, but at lower speeds off course. But as the curve started to tighten a little something crazy happened. Due to the high horsepower to the frontwheels of the SM, the car had an LSD, so what happened when the curve tightened, the LSD disengaged all of a sudden and this caused the car to spin immediately. And this with a speed over 200kph! The car tolled around bouncing from barrier to barrier, effectively wrecking the car. But Piet was in luck as the Autobahn was empty when it happened, he didn't hit any other traffic and got out unscaved. Of course he did not buy an SM, but opted for a Mercedes 450SEL6.9. Quite a contrast you think? Well yes,, but both cars had the same suspension, that's what Piet wanted.
An interesting story. I've had cars with Torsen diffs and their effect was always totally smooth, unnoticeable, except more traction. I can't imagine the fear of the diff suddenly locking at 200kph on a fast curve. I wonder what type of diff the DM has? I even fitted the Torsen (and larger clutch) from a Rover 620ti to my MGF (apart from ratios the gearboxes were the same) and it transformed the traction in any weather with no vices whatsoever.
Finally, what did the dealer say about the wrecking of his SM demonstrator?
PS I also had a Citroen GS in the dim and distant. That was a wonderful car with the hydropneumatic brakes and suspension and revvy OHC air cooled flat four but service intervals were 3000 miles as it ate spark plugs and disc pads.
Have a happy time with the SM, I am very envious.
Thank you, Sir.
You made me travel to my mid twenties, when I was invited to share an office of lawyer with a famous colleague who was the happy owner of a SM.
His success and also mine in a different scale.
Fantastic car!
Thanks for that too
Half way around the world, just came back from night shift, warmed up the food, a glass lovely of Portuguese wine, open youtube and, voilá: a new Tyrrel video and on the merveilleux Citroen SM. Bliss! Best way to compensate for dining by yourself.
The design has just enough strangeness. I think it's a masterpiece.
Francis Bacon would have approved.
Absolutely
@@robkleinlangevelsloo259 When strangeness works, it stays in your mind
What a beautiful car! I remember trying to chase one of these through poor country roads of Northern NSW, Australia about 1970 something while driving a very modified MGB GT V8. The chase lasted about 5 minutes before fear of dying to over. The SM disappeared into the distance. They have been on my classic car list (and the DS) for ages. I have driven a few DS models and as you say, the ride feel is unique.
Woaw sacré histoire on se croirez dans mad max 🤩🥰
It always makes my day when a new Tyrrell Classic video gets posted!
When I was a kid an older neighbor owned one and took me for a ride to show me that he could remove one front wheel. The car was so well balanced we drove all over and never never missed the front wheel on at all.
Surely it was a rear wheel that was removed.
They are front wheel drive you can drive most hydropneumatc Citroens on 3 wheels on high suspension setting with one back wheel revived. Not a front wheel. You change wheels front or rear with the suspension and a little stand. No need for a jack.
GS & CX had a small wind up jack instead of the adjustable stand.
I remember waiting for Johan Cruijff in my hometown near Amsterdam back in the 70s. Cruijff was there for a book signing. Making a big entrance, he skidded around the corner, screeching tyres. He obviously expected all attention to be on him when he got out, being the best footballer in the world at the time. The look on his face when the crowd ran past him and just pushed and shoved to get as close to his SM as we could. We were all in awe as we'd never seen a car as cool as that. As Ajax supporters we saw Cruijff every week, so he could wait.
I wonder if this was the particular SM that passed me on the A55 outside Abergele a few weeks back.
It looked incredible on the road. Futuristic, even by today's standards.
Thanks for showing us Ian.
The various pieces of trim and details make this car look classy and expensive. I like the way the waistline graduates from a curve to a crease at the rear. It’s a production ‘concept’ car. The fascia in a brushed metal finish, and interior, must have been ultra modern for the time. The car’s colour is the perfect shade of green. It’s looks and specifications make it one of the most interesting cars I’ve ever seen
One for your personal collection Mr Tyrrell. Don't see many SM's in France anymore, let alone in the northwest. Spotting one in the south of France was a novelty in the late 70's and early 80's when DS's and CX's were everywhere. Keep it if you like it and make sure it has yellow bulbs fitted 😊
Thoroughly enjoyed delving into the hydraulic machinations of Citroen! I was an ETO in the Merchant Navy, among my responsibilities was looking after electro-hydraulic deck cranes. Following from that it is quite easy to understand Citroen's theory regarding both the DS (another lovely car) and the SM, a truly lovely car indeed.
The work that you've put together on this channel is nothing but exceptional. Absolutely essential. What a record and legacy that you've put down.
Dutch/Spanish soccer player Johan Cruyff used to have an SM in exactly the same color.
And the french gendarmerie used SM's for highway patroling.
Very special luxury GT car!
My GOD! I would LOVE one of those. Ever since owning an ID in the 70s I have been besotted by these Citroens. Many thanks for posting this.
Until you have driven one of this era of Citroens, you haven't lived.
Beautiful car absolutely stunning & beautiful mechanics technology for its time.
Stunning
In 1972 one the neighbours purchased one, white with brown leather interior. To 14 year old me, it was like a spaceship compared to the usual Mercury's, Oldsmobile's, Buick's that populated the driveways in the area, and I would spend a lot of time just looking at it. There are so many interesting details in the design, and it still looks quite modern for being over 50 years old, which can't be said for pretty much any other car from that era. He sold it after about 6 months because he had so many issues with it.
Beautiful car and excellently presented as ever. Thank you Iain!
I'm sure it held the record at the time for shortest braking distance from 60 mph and even today very few cars could better it. I am struggling to find the actual distance but it was very impressive.
Just found it, 60mph to standstill in 106 ft (32.3 meters).
I know they are barely comparable, but I had a Citroen XM, it’s ride was sensational. I’d drive from Fife to the South of France almost in a single hit and would arrive refreshed. As a long distance cruiser it was excellent, but on the sport setting, the suspension stiffened up and its roadholding was pin sharp. I’d have another in a heartbeat if I could find one.
Peter, i also had a XM , around 2000, it had the 3.0 l motor. Great car to drive and so much room. The SM had a feel all of its own nothing like the later big Citroen's
When I changed from a Mini, 3 BMWs, 4 VWs to a Peugeot 306 I was amazed how efficient the suspension functioned. A French specialty.
Great video, a very enjoyable watch which brought back some great memories. I did my apprenticeship at Middleton Motors in Potters Bar which was a Citroen dealership, we saw lots of SM's as the owner (Roy Middleton) was a big fan. They converted 3 to RHD as I think they were hoping to have a tie up with Citroen to import more but the oil crisis put a stop to it, would be great to know what happened to them (the boss had one that was painted black and white). They had a problem with the chain that drove the jack shaft as it didn't have a tensioner (or there was a problem with it) and developed a fix with Reynolds, as the chain was against the bulkhead the whole power unit had to come out - remember it used to take me 9 hours just to remove it! The distributor had 2 sets of 'cassette' points one mounted on top of the other which were a nightmare to set up - Middleton's developed an electronic conversion with Lumminetion but even that was complicated due to the offset firing order. As an aside I notice on your roadtest the steering wheel is down to the right slightly - there is a cam adjuster between the centralising unit (on column) and steering rack to rectify - spent ages driving up and down a straight road getting it aligned!
Great post. Friend of mine, a retired Delta Air Lines Captain, bought one of these back in 1971 I believe it was. He still drives it on special occasions and it runs superbly. Very detailed/informative presentation here, I liked it so much I subscribed with notifications. (And sent link to this post to my friend). Cheers.
Fabulous car! I never liked them when I was younger, now I can see just how special they really are. Looking forward to seeing more of this car.
If you are Iain's age (like me), you would have seen all of the Classic cars that make this world really interesting. Kids growing-up today, may never see those old-time Classics. We are fortunate to have Iain pass-on his wealth of knowledge. I liked the time where modern plastics did not exist, and many cars made today will hardly have a 'classic' status, other than those exotic marques. Thank you for a great lesson on the Citroen SM. Greetings from Sydney.
I always watch these videos as a special treat. Now he has got two of my all-time dream cars in, the SM and the FF. Unbelievable, just bliss. The only thing I disliked was that it ended after only 20 minutes. I could have watched for hours.
I can say that seeing this stray patch of unfortunately placed water is part of what I enjoy about your channel. I want to see car enthusiasts and specialists talking about cars, not journalists or actors with high budget film crews. As long as your videos stay loaded to the brim with fascinating information and excellent autos, you could present them all in drag or hanging upside down for all I care!
Underrated in its engineering, this is a beautiful car full of innovation that was ahead of its time, especially here in the States when released.
I love this car. Brilliant engineering and stunning beauty! You are very charismatic and your delivery is superb. You do the SM justice! Thank you so very much sir! I really enjoyed this
The SM is an absolutely iconic car and I really like the way you present it, with your in-depth knowledge, but also your love for the technology and design.
For it’s time amazing engineering and stunning design. Unrivaled suspension, even today nobody has really beaten that grand turismo style ride quality! Thank you for taking us along, another super installment on automotive history 👍.
If i didn't have the most utmost respect for Iain and his TH-cam channel i would leave a mean comment about the past ownership of this amazing car by the man called Mike Brewer. Maybe in the inner circles of the British collector car market he is beloved but just the thought that this classic Citroen SM being once owned by him makes my stomach turn.
Now on to the car....This green exterior color has to be the nicest color offered by Citroen for these SM's. I have a very special history with the Citroen SM as a childhood boy. I live in the United States and these cars are even MORE rare here than the rest of Europe. But when i was growing up, my best friend's father owned a 1972??(maybe 73) Citroen SM in white exterior and camel leather interior. It had the factory 5 speed manual transmission and had the American spec round headlights behind the plastic covers in the front. It was stored away only to be extruded when his father would drive it down to the local car meetups/shows. As a side note, my small New England town has a authorized Citroen dealership back in the 1960-1970's and even after they stopped selling new cars, that dealership went on to service the car in particular and many other for years to come.
At first, i thought the car was extremely ugly but the shape and unique character of the car began to grow on me. On weekend day, my best friend asked if i wanted to go with them to the local car show and i agreed. Both him and I had to sit in the back seat(2+2) and for being a smaller build child, it was quite comfortable. I can still remember when he pulled out of his local street onto the main road and opened it up. The sound of that Maserati engine and surge of power i felt in the backseat of that car was just amazing. When we pulled up to the show, EVERYONE was looking at us. And i'm not exaggerating. Of Course we were the only ones there in a Citroen period, let alone an SM. And when i finally got to see the hydro-pnematic suspension in action, i was in total awe.
This video brought back all those memories and i honestly think this is the 10th time i've watched this video. So i can totally understand why so many people asked about this car in the background. And i'm so thankful that i got to ride in one of these truly unique and rare cars. Thank you Mr. Tyrrell for showcasing this vehicle.
Was lucky enough to own two SM's - loved them both, over the years - took them all over France on grand tours which they were built for - not to be kept in a garage for ages on end - that's when they bite !!! they need to be driven - sold for good money to a Suisse gent - now have BX16v & MR-2 SW-20 to keep me sane - but life is short - so my advise if you can - go for it - own an SM drive & Enjoy it !!!
Thank you Ian and your team, for the hours of great TH-cam videos this year.
Many years ago I was driving behind one of these and as it pulled away from a roundabout onto the A12 (Gants Hill in Romford) it's engine blew spectacularly with a loud bang and clouds of white smoke. Must be forty odd years ago now and whenever I see an SM I always felt a pang of sorrow for that particular cars owner .
I used to know the area well, driving around serving writs and summonses. You can't really see the join between Redbridge and Romford, all the same to me.
I've always found this model to be extremely beautiful, and I can only imagine the smooth ride in it. Thanks for sharing.
I’ve been a car nut for 5 decades worked in the motor trade and worked on some exotic and classic cars and thought I knew a thing or two, then I found this TH-cam channel and discovered I’ve only skimmed the surface of knowledge and love the details and nuances that Ian goes into,every Tyrell video is a learning day. If I could turn back time I’d been queuing up to get a job there, the depth of knowledge and quality of work that goes into those cars is very obvious to see.
Listening to Iain talk about cars really is a joy... such a knowledgeable yet unassuming and approachable manner, his enthusiasm always shines through and makes these videos a real pleasure to watch.
Many thanks for making these videos and to Iain for sharing his wealth of knowledge with us. I look forward to more videos in the coming year... and I'd SO love to visit the workshop, even if just to watch the staff there on the various projects. Fantastic!
I can listen to Iain all day, and just love how he tunes with that pipe and screw driver.
Best auto show on the inter web by far. Been a fan since the very first Harrys garage debut. All the best for 2022 to you and all your crew in front of and behind the screen. I must say the production presentation is really exceptional which compliments the knowledge being shared. G
Iain is a legend, I’d listen to him for hours.
Great to see he’s passing his knowledge down to his lads.
Such a stunning car even today., and that colour is beautiful There are no bad lines on it at all. One of my all time favourite cars….
Fascinating Iain. Beautiful car. I always remember my dad telling me they had Maserati engines (I’m 48 now), and used to know a colleague that owned one, but it was very tatty. If I see one (which isn’t very often) I always stop to admire these cars, as they’re so unique.
Funny I just watched the episode with Jeremy and Richard driving this car then you come on with the actual car
It has to be an amazing car for being built in 1970 👍👍
Came from a time when manufacturers were brave in venturing into new design and engineering concepts to make a truly individualist motor car.
Well spoken, when engineers really could think outside the box, and make what not other were making.
These days almost all are making the same cars, if you peel of the badges from a SUV almost all of them could be a KIA.
unfortunately this is also what made Citroen less successful overall. quirky is not a mass selling feature. 2CV was loved, but only in Europe. The DS was a wonderful car but with a 4 cylinder only it just did not have the ooomph people were looking for. 6 cylinders were reserved for the Peugeots
I truly enjoyed the video. I’ve never been much of a Citroën fan, primarily b/c of the disturbing styling; although, the engineering is fascinating. Keep up the great work!
Iain, I can assure you that the steering wheel of an SM is directly connected to the front wheels through a completely normal rack and pinion arrangement. The lack of feedback is a result of almost total hydraulic irreversibility.
You can definitely maintain control of an SM should the engine stop and hydraulic pressure falls right down to zero in the accumulator (you could reach that state of affairs with repeated on off application of the brakes or of course a rupture in the hydraulic system). I very much like your videos, best regards and wishes for this new year. It has to be better than the last, right?
On consideration, I've oversimplified the description. The physical link between the steering wheel and the steering box exists but one would never be aware of it unless there was a complete loss of hydraulic pressure, it then manifests as slop in the steering and of course you have to be Hercules to turn the wheels at a standstill.
That's a beautiful car. I remember seeing one in Reno, NV, parked outside the National Automobile Museum (mostly the Harrah collection) back in 2004.
Probably my car. Still in Reno. And if you're the Dave Mulligan I know, I gave your son a ride in it years ago. He called it the Citrus Car. Yep, damned small world.
@@chasm6698 Small world, indeed, although I must be a different Dave M, because I only have a daughter :) We used to visit Tahoe frequently when my sister-in-law lived in Incline Village, but I've always lived on the East coast since coming to the US. Either way, you have a beautiful car!
@@davidmulligan42 Not the Dave I knew, but quite a name coincidence. That Dave was married to a friend of mine, but they split long ago. Anyway, thanks for answering and for your compliments on my Cit!
Hello from New Jersey. Thank you for taking the time to post this video on the Citroën SM . I really enjoyed it.
Another great video thanks. In the mid 1980’s I was lucky enough to know someone who had one of these. It was like riding in a 1950’s idea of the future. You expected it to hover.
Stunning car. Such a shame that Citroën stopped making French luxury. They perfected comfort after all.
@@johnsmith1474 Balls
I agree with you Brian. Normally I'm not a fan of Citroen styling, however the SM is very handsome indeed.
Now manufacturers seem to like to make cars bumpy...."For good handling" or a "Feel for the road".....feels great as you bump up and down and fly into a tree...
@@truthseeker8483 Don't forget the Nurbergring lap times. So important!
@@johnsmith1474 I drove DS Citroens for over 30 years, the hydraulics are reliable if they are maintained and you have some practical knowledge, it is also MUCH more comfortable than any new car I have tried including Tesla Model S
Brilliant video Iain . This is my absolute favourite car. Never owned one but if won the lottery would be my first purchase. So informative, great back story and a great delivery. Keep the great videos coming Iain.
I love the content and the info you give out Iain, but the icing on the cake is the drive. It feels like you're in the car too and you can almost feel it, along with the engine note it gives a real sense of occasion. The SM is just a beautiful thing to behold, it would definitely be in my car collection if my numbers ever come up!
Equal length wishbones weren't "to have less grip" they made it possible to have the steering pivot point through the centre of the front wheels meant no bump steer whatsoever. Also it meant that the inside wheels were not at weird angles so in actual fact they had more grip than the inside wheels on a conventional car especially with the flexible suspension keeping those inside wheels on the ground gripping.😀 All part of what made this car one of the most stable ever built.
"Zero scrub radius" is what you are referring to. Yes
@@steveflor9942 No Steve because a conventional car has the upper pivot point high up where the McPherson strut upper mount is or connected to an upper wishbone pivot outside of the front wheel. The DS or SM has both front suspension pivot points within the front wheel exactly inline with the centre turning axis of the wheel which gives incredible stability in comparison.
Correct. It was achieve centre-point steering geometry. The DIRAVI steering was there to create an artificial self-centring effect, as the car ran no camber/castor so as to not interfere with the ride quality.
(While we're here, the engine wasn't a V8 with two barrels hacked off, it was ground up. Citroen bought Maserati specifically to make the C114 engine).
Wow that is a fabulous looking car. Front, back and side are incredible.
Brilliant, I enjoyed that thanks, and really like the SM. The closest I've had to it was an XM - 3 litre with full luxury spec that I bought at auction maybe around 2003 for £225. The ride and comfort was sublime and will always stand out in that respect. I scrapped it when the suspension failed, and I regret doing that.
Once again an excellent and informative video on one of my very favourite cars. As Iain mentioned Brigitte Bardot, I can now daydream of driving across Europe in the early 70s with BB by my side!!
Just another fabulous video ...u have us spoiled with your vast knowlege..thanks for it all
One of my favourite videos in the series.
Nice review. I sold my SM in 2019 after a couple of years ownership. Iain's comments on drive and handling are pretty spot-on. Its party piece is to muller speedbumps wihout noticing. On my first motorway drive a stone smashed the glass nose on one side - yes it is glass and not easy to find so I would advise protecting the nose with helicopter tape. The hydraulic pump is supposed to go at least 30 seconds before recycling which I never managed to attain and it was that plus the annoying habit of dribbling hydraulic fluid from the seals as the car was parked that I think led to to sell it. The only real issue I had during my ownership was a blown head gasket not manly kilometers after the engine had been rebuilt in Holland. The UK specialists told me there were two types of head gasket on the market - one which dissolved into porridge after a couple of 000 km and the other which never gave trouble. Sadly , the Dutch marque experts had gone for the former. I am pleased I owned mine. It scratched a longterm itch. The previous Dutch owner had spent EUR85k on making a very good example as good as he could so it sold well when I decided to pass it on with R M Sotheby in Essen in 2019.
I spent much too long admiring a superb white one in Ostend in 1996. Fantastic.
I looked at a brown one in Santa Cruz around 2005. Unfortunately it was of the toss-the-loose-parts-in-the-trunk-and-drag-it-away variety, passed from one impoverished dreamer to the next.
@@danpatterson8009 different car but I went to buy a Jensen Interceptor once, mechanically ok but there weren't many bits of bodywork where a magnet would stick. 250 mile round trip but was nice to hear the engine nonetheless.
Fantastic episode about one of my all time favorite cars. The design is just sublime.
Great review, I own one…….in 1/18, I’ve been fascinated by these for over 40 years, such a technical tour de force and pure elegance.
One of the dream rides or better yet drives, Citroen SM. My late father worked with Citroen's in the 70's and 80's and drove SM and he loved it! He owned many other Citroens but not SM I think.
These are beautiful - I have an unhealthy obsession with the DS. I could point out fascinating design details all day on this car. So glad you made this your personal vehicle! (I think the seats look perfect)
The most annoying part of your videos is when they are over! Ugh! I guess I will have to queue up a number of them to keep watching more! :) In the 70s, I lived in Colorado in the country, and there was a neighbor about a kilometer away that had a Citroen SM. I kick myself (I was 14 at the time) for not visiting and talking to him about it. It has alway been a fascinating car to me. I have a 1/43 scale Superfast from Lesney Matchbox that I collected along with a Lamborghini Miura that I still have. Keep up the great work! Love your videos!
Stunning machine 👌🏻😎 I remember one in a local body shop in the early 80’s , factory black it looked amazing
One of the autmotive greats
Thanks for such a personal and in depth review of one of my favorites. I think the DS was an incredible car but the SM is the ultimate CITREON!
citroen
Thanks I realized after I sent it. Can’t believe it was 2 years ago!
You can edit your post up to a few months afterwards
It’s just one of the most beautifully quirky cars ever made. A true masterpiece of engineering flawed though it might be. I hope we’ll be seeing more of this magnificent machine as you work your way through it. When faithfully restored the leather interior of these cars is exquisite and typifies the period so well. They just don’t make cars like this anymore, some would say that a good thing, but we didn’t get where we are today without engineering like this, where executives weren’t afraid of breaking the mould to create legends.
Love it when you start talking about other cars 😀👍.
Thanks for the video and stay safe.
Beautiful car, and brilliantly presented, as you always do.
Back in the early 70s l was at pre launch at Citroen/ Maserati technical centre in Slough ,.it was covered up but as tech's we had to unveil it to see it first hand,we got a bollicking, well worth it . Had many hours working on them , EFI was much smoother and responsive .Happy days at Bristol Street Motor in Sherwood Nottingham.
Excellent video, the quirks of an SM are such that you did miss one. They are self jacking. You use the ride height control to raise the car insert the support rod and then select low and the tire rises off the ground.
This leads to many people demoing driving the cars around on 3 wheels.
The fronts on SMs are inboard brakes like an E type.
Just amazingly funky cars
Back in the 70's my father had a import / export business. Though his personal car was a excellent Renault 16 TS, which was a better cruiser than his business car, a Cortina mk3 1.6. Regular trips from Calais to Marseille he would be passed with a whoosh by Citroen DS's. The sight of 6 yellow headlamps coming up behind signified a SM going like a bat out of hell, almost silently.
The side camera angle is great. Interesting to see the tire deflection.
Another Tyrell masterpiece. Paying tribute to Sa Majesté, as one fine automobile connoisseur should.
So so good I didn’t even notice the wet patch one bit! Great video Ian. Please keep em coming.
I have been fortunate enough to own several 1980s Citroens and they all had the hydropneumatic system. They are brilliantly simple to work on and provided exceptional braking and ride quality and were a revelation. I wish modern manufacturers had the courage and panache of this once great marque.
Great video and amazing car! The SM is an icon and one of the most beautiful design ever made!
Another very interesting technical history lesson. Fascinating!
Great video. The SM is probably my favourite car and I could spend hours just looking at it, especially the rear, a masterpiece and something so from the 70's. I am in love!
One the prettiest cars made. stunning
I am interested in classic cars although I’m not particularly mechanically minded I find Iain’s style of presentation very relaxing and very informative without going over the top. The Citroen SM would absolutely be on my shopping list if my numbers. came up - just a beautiful piece of art/ sculpture on wheels.
Thank you Tyrrell for another amazing video. I could listen to you all day. This car was too far ahead of its time. Odd looking but very cool.
Another great presentation of a fantastic classic.
That V6 has a great sound!
I wonder if fitting a more modern variable displacement AC compressor would reduce shock loads to the intermediate shaft to safe levels? The clutch wouldn't need to cycle anymore. GM has used them on their 4 cylinder cars since the 80s, VW has used them on every R134a equipped car.
I have been a fan of the Citroen SM (in America) from the first time I saw one "in the flesh" back in 1975. They are simply gorgeous, and the technology is awe inspiring. Alas, even though I can afford one now, I am all but sure that one of those things would have bankrupted me back in the day. Thank you, Mr. Tyrrell, for a truly excellent video on this very rare (in the U.S.) and classic car.
Pleasure- thank you
Brilliant review Iain. I take the opportunity to wish you a happy new year!!!