I own an SM. I used to work at a garage in Los Angeles called “SM World” which specialized in the SM. My boss, the late Jerry Hathaway, was close friends with Jay Leno, and we would work on his Citroëns. The only job I’ve ever had where I would choose to go in on my day off. I own a ‘75, Euro-spec headlights, 3.0L with EFI swapped for Bosch K-Jetronic MFI, 5MT. The Hydro-Pneumatic system is quirky, but makes sense once you learn how it works. As long as everything is well-maintained and allowed to warm-up before being driven, it’s fine. The engine needs to stretch, but once it has done so, it needs to be exercised. Classic Maserati DOHC engines need to be allowed to get into the high rev range, don’t short-shift it. If something does go wrong, however, it can go very very wrong, especially in regards to the hydropneumatic system.
Nice! I used to work for George at Sunset Coachmen in NC. We were mostly Peugeot, but got the opportunity to work on a quite a few DS and SM too. *EDIT Sorry to hear about Jerry's passing. He helped me out immensely on a particularly troublesome Palais. Pinched pipe from a poorly spotted lift.
When you have a job that you’re happy to go to on your day off, you’re not actually ‘working’ for a living…you’re actually being paid to enjoy what you do. I too had a job like that for the past 20+ years
@@AdamWaffen Like in Verdun, 1916, for instance. Greatest battle ever, French victory. Try to learn some history, clown. During more than 1500 years, the French had experienced countless massacres on their soil, and won alone against entire coalitions more wars and battles than all western nations put together, this, when US were still a desert populated by Indian nations and USians still in their Europeans ancestor's balls. Napoleon marched first in Berlin in 1806, 134 years before Adolf in Paris. The only wars that US public have ever experienced near them are in movie theaters. I really appreciate ignorant clowns, who always remember the few French failures, and who forget at the same times centuries of victories and domlination. Pathetic.
@@AdamWaffen Like in Verdun, 1916, for instance. Greatest battle ever, French victory. Try to learn some history, clown. During more than 1500 years, the French had experienced countless massacres on their soil, and won alone against entire coalitions more wars and battles than all western nations put together, this, when US were still a desert populated by Indian nations and USians still in their Europeans ancestor's balls.
Circa 1973, when I was just a kid, I noticed a Citroën SM that was regularly being parked in our small town. I was instantly fascinated by it, it’s such a cool-looking car! I wrote a letter to the Citroën company requesting a sales brochure to learn more about the vehicle and so I could have some pictures of it. A couple of months later my mom answered the doorbell to a man who was looking for Thomas (that’s me). When my mom asked what it was about, he explained that I’d requested information about the SM, and he was from the not-so-local car dealership that sold them. My mom told him, “Well, Thomas is here…but he’s twelve years old.” I don’t think I ever got the sales brochure; he must’ve left pretty dejected.
I'm french, and I learnt to drive on a Citroën SM. It was new at the time, and my dad also had a DS, which was my favourite car to drive. They were original and very well engineered. Even today, I don't see any other cars that are innovative as these.
The first Citroen that I ever laid eyes on was when I lived in Spain as a Mormon missionary (a past I truly regret *cough) and since we missionaries were only allowed to move around on foot I saw my first Citroen DS taxi coming towards us way out in the middle of nowhere on the NW coastline above Portugal (tithe hamlet of Pontevedra that was ruined by an Exxon Valdez type oil spill). We Got in the back seat on this very hilly and curvy road and I was flabbergasted at the ride. We were just floating above the road and felt NOTHING! I fell in love immediately and wondered why we didn't have this brilliant car all over the US but of course decades later I learned about the unique properties of the suspension with the green fluid that ran most of the cars underpinnings. Just BRILLIANT engineering and I was so sad when I got back to Tucson Arizona and saw a 1975 SM sitting in the sun next to a gas station just rotting in the Arizona sun...heartbreaking but those shade tree gas jockeys had no clue what they were looking at and the dealers had all vanished from the US (reputable dealers) by then. Yup - just stunning cars and in my opinion they still kick the modern cars right to the curb even today....Thanks for this wonderful video history and education buddy, you never fail to deliver. I am a HUGE fan and yes, I have owned many of the 1970's Fords and merc/Lincolns that you still have in your collection. I still drive my 2005 Merc Grand Marquis daily with only 110k on the clock and it has NEVER failed me other than the AC which just died las week and has been replaced. I Best damned car I have ever owned and identical to the Lincolns in every way except the formal rear roof line. Love the 4.6 V-8 on the Panther platform. Cruises on the freeway at 100 MPH all day long in pure comfort and ya just gotta do that Italian tune up at teat speed for awhile, right???? LOLOL
One of several surprising stories about Mitt Romney and motor vehicles was the accident he had in France driving a Citroen DS while working as a Mormon missionary in 1967. I think it was the other guy's fault, but there was some contention that the whole missionary thing got him out of the draft; I don't remember if that was well founded. Another was of his family vacationing in a 1977 Chevy wagon; they had no room inside for the dog, so they strapped the dog carrier to the roof rack; dog lovers were not amused by that one. Finally, Romney was arrested on Lake Cochituate in Natick, MA because he refused to stop using his boat with an expired registration (or maybe license); he thought that being rich enough to pay the fine, he could just go on boating illegally. The cop didn't see it that way. Whatever their vices and virtues, there is no shortage of strange stories involving the Romneys.
@@pcno2832 Oh yeah. That DS head on collision had a fatality, and although it was in the DS, the tragic casualty was a young woman who was shoehorned in the front between the bucket seats in the center where there was no real seat, no protection, and certainly no seat belt. I suppose her chances were better there than strapped to the roof but it's a moot point now.
I lived in L.A. back in the 80s. A neighbor had one of these. When I left for work in the morning., this car would be sitting on the ground. I could never figure out what the hell was going on with his suspension!
I would disagree on the "huge interior" comment. The car is narrow by American standards, so the shoulder room is also narrow. And while a normal sized adult can sit in the back access is difficult. The ride is unsurpassed.
I was into French cars in the late 90s to early 00s. Worked for a Peugeot specialist during the time. Got the opportunity to mess with a few SMs and quite a few more DSs. Amazing cars. Left there and gravitated back towards Porsche, but still respect Citroen cars of this era immensely. Adam, your French pronunciation is very good for an American car guy. The pretty girls were in French class in HS. Thats why it was my first foreign language.
@@JohnReitz-ps2ct wow that is so true. I will take a neglected car (or house or anything else) over one that has been "messed with" incessantly. I had one where their work around required another work around so by the time I rescued it the work-arounds were layered and nested. Just an inordinate amount of time to straighten out for the most part.
One of the Life Members of the Citroen Car Club of NSW and Founding members turned 100 in May 2024. Conversion of LHD to Right Hand Drive on a SM is one of the most challenging of any cars. Bruce Scott-Smith did so in his Sydney suburban garage... Such was the quality of conversion the engineer certifying it for registration thought it was a factory produced RHD. A reverse mould for the dashboard was made up and 3 RHD dashboards cast... I had a fabulous drive of his 1971 SM down the Southern Highlands and back up the South Coast.... awesome. The closest I can to ownership of a SM was a 1978 CX Prestige 2400 EFI 5 speed. Magic for eating the vast Aussie open road distances.
A true piece of rolling art. From the smart and stylish design themes, to the engineering marvels, the SM delivers. Like any good piece of art, you either Love it or hate it. Myself I Love it.
No mention of the DIRAVI power steering system? Speed sensitive, actively self centering and effectively "steer by wire, errr, hydraulics". In normal operation there is no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the mechanical steering mechanism. Only in the event of a high pressure hydraulics failure an emergency steering column is used to safely guide the vehicle to a stop. Thanks to the active self centering the SM (and later CX) are also exceptionally stable in cross-winds, in part helped by the superb for their time Aerodynamics (Cd of 0.338), even with the somewhat lackluster power of the Maserati V6 and 1.6ton curb weight these cars can quite happily drive at 140mph all day long. In theory. The SM chassis and engine are also the base for the ultra rare 1975 Maserati Quattroporte II. During development of said Maserati, one SM was equipped with a 260hp V8 engine, and in fact the standard chassis could quite easily take that extra power with minimal modifications. And finally, the optional factory "alloy" wheels were actually made from glass fiber reinforced plastic, they were developed by Michelin for the SMs rally efforts (rather successful ones) and weighed about half of what the standard steel wheels with covers weighed.
The steering of the SM is in fact “return dependent on speed and steering angle”. In fact, it is extremely direct, with just one turn of the steering wheel to turn the wheels to one side. When parked, the assistance is total, allowing you to maneuver without any effort. At high speeds, the steering stiffens to provide more precision and firmness. It is the centrifugal regulator which allows this feat, which will surprise more than one SM driver.
I clicked on this video so fast! I loved going to see these cars at the dealership down the street from our house in the 1970's. I remember seeing a Peugeot without sealed beam headlights and that made me so excited because I hated our sealed beam terrible headlights that were required in the USA.
Now we’re talking. The SM is in my “dream car garage,” as is the DS on which it was based. And thank you for taking the effort to pronounce Citroen correctly, a level of respect some other American TH-camrs could learn to emulate.
There is really no way to properly say it. It's a made up name, and has roots in Dutch, not French. I say it "See-tro-En", or when I'm lazy "Sitron" because I did not grow up in France. 🙂 Just ask a Brit how to say it, and you'll begin to see what I mean.
A friend of mine had one in the early 2000s. It was such a fabulous car, everyone stared at it and gathered around to talk about it. It was VERY unreliable and constantly breaking down and of course there was no mechanic in town who knew anything about them. That aside it was the most incredible vehicle and beautiful to ride in, so smooth and the engine sounded beautiful.
Amazing, amazing automobiles. A DS is on my lottery list; preferably a European model w/ covered , moving head / cornering lights. Thanks for featuring this fantastic car!
I visited an exotic car dealership in Chicago in 1973 that had just put an SM onto their showroom floor and was just amazed at how different luxury European cars were compared to the muscle cars I had been driving, especially how much more ergonomic were the interiors and switchgear. Of course I wanted one, but at age 19 that wasn’t in the cards! 😉 I was greatly excited to see one in action in The Longest Yard with Burt behind the wheel. 👍
In 1974, at 11 years old I felt pressure to name the ultimate car I'd ask for if offered my choice. Citroën SM was it for me, although the Porsche Turbo Carrera got some side-eye.
Thanks for this one! I am lucky enough to have a DS (Break) and an SM, and they are just the very best cars. Fun bit of trivia: The Euro-spec front ends were available for the first couple of years in Canada, and I was able to procure one for my 1973 model. I think the SM interior is the best of any postwar car; it still looks contemporary today, and was just so far ahead when the car was introduced. As with the DS, rust is the enemy, but once sorted, they are without peer in terms of ride quality. I was very happy to hear that you are also a fan of French cars! I think that a Peugeot 604 would be a nice fit in your collection of "executive cruisers"! Thanks again for all of your quality productions... All the very best from Canada.
I think the SM is the best looking grand tourer ever made. Full stop. It's litterally an art piece on wheels. And with that famous suspension system, you could drive it from the tip of Jutland all the way down to the Mesina Strait without breaking a sweat. And on the way down, you could nip by along the Amalfi coast, and you wouldn't look out of place...
Thanks for reviewing the magnificent Citroen SM model! It should be mentioned that this car in 1972 won the Motor Trend Magazine "Car of the Year" award (when they only awarded one vehicle per calendar year.) The design has aged very well and still looks quite contemporary today!
I think it is a good thing to include extraordinary European /Japanese cars into this channel which very much helps evaluate with a different view angle extraordinary automotive design and tech conceived in the US at the time.
I’m one of those uh… uncommon people who truly delights in the sometimes brilliant idiosyncrasies that is the French automobile industry. It’s a beautiful car!
My grandfather had a '66 Citroen DS. I loved the 4-speed column-mounted shifter and dream-like suspension. Great memories cruising around the SF Bay Area in 1969-70, and beyond. My grandfather was a mechanic by trade and owned his own shop so the Citroen was always in top form.
I remember in my first job as a mechanic we had a ‘72 SM come in. My boss said it was a piece of junk, I found it a fascinating car. This particular one had six complete exhaust systems from engine to tail pipes. Also the entire underside was plated in with steel panels. I was impressed by the interior layout especially. I didn’t even know about the hydro pneumatic suspension then, but I could see the car was designed all day high speed driving. When in ran it sounded like a V8.
The engine does not sound like a V8. It's an odd-fire V6, Buick made one that had the same firing pattern. Each bank of cylinders is essentially one engine, there were two sets of points and two coils, and the cap and rotor had two traces for the coil inputs. It's a very lumpy idle and the sound is unique to this design, a very cool sound. Redline is at 6,500 rpm, higher than the V8s of the day.
Thank you for this video on one my personal favorites. These cars were engineered like no others and still look as futuristic today as the day they were produced even back to the 50's. Thanks again!
I remember as a teenager reading up on the SM when it was named car of the year in Motor Trend magazine in '72 and was absolutely fascinated by it (I'm now 66yo and still a subscriber to Motor Trend by the way - that's a lot of magazines)! They also had side by side pictures of the headlight differences between the Euro and American SM's and thought the sealed beam American version really ruined the look of the front end. Although great looking cars, I've heard these are a nightmare to restore and need constant "attention" to keep on the road and were never really considered "every day reliable transportation" even when new.
Lots of improvements have been applied to the cars over time, by zealous owners. So properly done up the cars are easy to maintain. I drive mine regularly. Change the points for electronic ignition to get past that constant maintenance (and improve low rpm performance), redo the engine with modern timing chains and solid exhaust valves (these two items killed more SMs than anything else, my car had the engine replaced in the late '70s due to failure). Many other things you can do to make them more enjoyable, like LEDs in the instruments, but they really are not hard to keep on the road if you know what you are doing. And back in the day (I drove one every day for work back in the '70s) the DS was considered a very reliable car, but that's a different engine. 🙂
My dad had a customer who owned several Citroens, which we pronounced as "Sit-Ron." Alas, this man, nicest guy, always smiling, was very fat, and this was in the days when being so heavy was rare. He went in for "stomach surgery." He came out, lost a lot of weight, never smiled any more, and then died, at age under 40. Very sad. I know these surgeries are MUCH less risky now than they were 50 years ago.
My father had one and it was fantastic, but by the end of his ownership every one of the family knew the name of the mechanic because my dad has been so much time there, the car was serviced at a Costa Mesa dealership
@@johnstapler5956 NGL, the Maserati 90° V6 was a suboptimal design. Inherently imbalanced since it was based off the V8. 1st gen SHO powerplant? Love that engine.
From my auto tech's point of view, and I actually worked on these, the Citroen SM was a very quirky car, and trouble prone. These cars were as foreign to an American as you could get. The oil-based hydraulic fluid, which we called green cool aide, because that's what it looked like. I remember that it was sold by Citroen dealers in one or one-half liter rectangular plastic bottle for $50. In the mid-70's, I remember these with stickers of $13K, which was quite pricey for the time. They were also available with a 3 spd. automatic transmission. They sat in showrooms for a long time, so I imagine the dealers had to discount them to dispose of them. Rolls-Royce and Bentley licensed the system from Citroen, which not only was used for rear suspension leveling and the brake system. They referred to it as a mineral oil system. It was actually Castrol Mineral oil and was much cheaper than the Citroen fluid. It was a much more reliable system than R-R's previous Castrol LMA brake fluid system. Jaguar used this system for it's automatic rear leveling suspension in the XJ6 cars from 1988-93. This was problematic and expensive to work on. When Ford took over Jaguar, this system was the 1st to go. Anyway, I could buy this Castrol mineral oil from my Roll-Royce part supplier for less than the Jaguar dealer's paid for their version. Same exact bottle but with different car logos on them. The original Citroen Dealer in town stopped selling the SM's when the car was discontinued. The factory-trained Citroen mechanic left the dealership for parts unknown. Citroen of America no longer brough cars into the U.S., but they still maintained a parts inventory. We were dealing with and buying parts directly from them. They started referring Citroen owners to us. That's where this next car came from. It was an unfortunate mistake. The Maserati V6 was a nightmare. A major problem was the water pump, and not just because it was it was mounted to the engine end which was up against the firewall. The water pump was mounted in the timing cover and used "O" rings to keep the coolant out of the crankcase. They would fail and the water would mix with the engine oil, creating a brown slurry with the consistency of pudding. The car owner didn't want to spend any more on the car. He sold it to a guy who bought it for parts from So. Cal. When he came to trailer the car back, he told us that he paid our customer $3K. We were surprised the amount was so much and he stated that when he sold the rear window, he would get more than that back, plus he would still have all the rest of the parts to sell. Now, we cut our teeth on a 1973 Citroen SM a few years before. Everything was usual for that car, all those problems associated with French cars. Then, they spun a rod bearing in the engine. We ended up buying a factory workshop manual, but it was written in French. We were looking for machine specs so we could repair the engine. There were none in the manual. We ended up buying a connecting rod from Citroen, so we could measure it. We fixed the engine and we never saw the car again. At that time, we never wanted to see another one, but memories are short....
If I remember correctly, also Daimler-Benz took a license for this suspension technology and equipped the W116 6.9 450SEL with their own version of it.
@@htimsid Yes. D-B probably did. And it was available on other M-B's too, like the 500SEL Eurospec car. They used a hydraulic cylinder at each corner of the cars. This included several nitrogen-charged accumulators also. They used it solely for the suspension and did NOT use it for the brakes. BUT, here's the difference. Instead of using the Castrol Mineral Oil fluid or the Citroen green slime, they used a much cheaper fluid available from multiple manufacturers. Today, 1L of the genuine M-B hydraulic suspension fluid goes for around $20. U.S. You can get it from Pentosin and Febi for under $10. U.S. I have purchased alot of it when I was an independent auto tech who specialized on M-B. In addition to the upper-model cars, M-B used it as a rear-leveling system on their station wagon models. like the 300TD. Jaguar, pre-Ford, also used the system, as a rear-leveling system, using the Castrol Mineral Oil fluid. As I think I stated before, R-R/Bentley used the system for rear-leveling AND the brake system. Using the Castrol Mineral oil(which was also green).Their previous system used Castrol LMA brake fluid, which had sealing problems, had to be bled manually, needed routine hydraulic accumulator and pressure multiplier service. The systems were fed by 2 hydraulic piston pumps attached to the chest plate of the 6.75L V8.
May have already been said but with the bizarre complexity of French engineering and robust bulletproof reliability/S!!! of Italian powerplants SM wasn't the model designation, it was telling you that being into S&M was a prerequisite of ownership.
Adam, with all due respect Bentley (and Rolls-Royce) did not use the Citroën hydraulic suspension system. They did, however, use certain aspects of it, but the two systems are very different. Additionally, you missed a unique instrumentation point in the SM (and the DS): the speedometer incorporates braking distance calibration.
I was always mesmerized by the advanced looks of the Citroen SM from the first picture in a car magazine to actually seeing one in person. In the mid-1970s a white SM resided in a garage in Austin's posh Highland Hills neighborhood. The last time I saw an SM was years later in a used car lot. Despite it being hunkered down at its lowest setting and a large puddle of hydraulic fluid beneath it, this sand beige metallic SM still looked like a rocketship from the future.
my granddad had a Panhard from the late 50s as his work car, he loved it, white with red interior. as kids we loved it for the rumbly 2 stroke engine and modern white dash...just lovely. However my grandmother didn't share our admiration and refused to ride in it, but then his other car was a 55 Olds 98.
I’ve owned a 1973 DS 23 Pallas for a while, a car that shares a number of similarities with the SM. Fascinating automobile, so different yet so utterly practical. Here in South Africa the SM is extremely rare, so I only ever saw one in the metal, but I’ll openly confess to lusting after it to this day. Fabulous video, thanks.
One of my favorite cars and the 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year. My uncle owned a 1961 DS wagon back in the day. It was unlike anything else on the road, so advanced for its time. I recall how incredibly well it rode, its single spoke steering wheel and the bulb for the brake pedal. Thanks for the memories!
Absolute museum pieces , the french culture is so intricate , and esquite. What a marvel at how cultures make art come out differently. What a cool video , thank a bizunch
As an SM owner I hear all sorts of misinformation about them. You've done well, except for mentioning that the engine lived on in the Maserati Biturbo. It didn't. The Biturbo engine was based on the C114 in the SM, but was very different. It had turbos, it had 3 valves per cylinder, it had timing belts instead of chains, it was 2.0 Litres, 2.5 Litres etc. Not the same engine at all
These are such timelessly beautiful cars! Ever since I had the Corgi version as a kid, I have been amazed by them and consider it the best-looking French car, by far. And those seats! It would be fun to drive one someday. Thank you for featuring this car, Adam.
Adam,my uncle in Greece that turned me onto Group B rally racing when I was a kid owned one of those SMs. He was a master at rowing through the gated shifter. I always loved riding in it and I watched him drive it on 3 wheels.Mike the Greek
In 1980, we visited family in Indianapolis over Christmas. We went to a house on the east side of the city, near the Riley towers. There in the garage was a Citroën SM. I was basically led out to the garage to look at it. Perhaps mom knew that I had a Matchbox of this very car? Not sure, but I knew it was special.
My wealthy high school buddy's parents had one, along with an Audi 5000. His pop was a local surgeon. I remember looking under the hood and wondering what the heck all these green spheres did! Meanwhile, the rest of the neighborhood drove Plymouth Valiants.
Last year on the Autobahn here in Germany a SM overtakes my at really high speed (round about 170-180m/h) driven by a very old man. A surreal but cool moment.
My father told the story of driving his SM up Interstate 5 in California, passing a state trooper at a very high rate of speed. He was pulled over after he slowed to just 95MPH. The trooper asked him several times how fast he'd been going when he passed him, Dad was reluctant to tell him but he assured Dad he just wanted to know, that he couldn't write him up based on his statement (he'd already written the ticket for 95). Dad told him he's been going 145 MPH. The trooper told him he shouldn't have slowed down, he'd have never caught him. Dad was 82 years old at the time (RIP).
My compliments for your pronounciation of Citroën and Peugeot. Fun fact, the name Citroën is a frenchified name from Dutch (Citroen), meaning Lemon.🙂André Citroëns family from his father's side came from the Netherlands and as the French don't know how to pronounce the Dutch "oe" sound, he changed it to "oë".
I drive a DS 21 daily and appreciate this video and like your pronunciation of Citroen. Dispelling the myths and misunderstandings of these cars is a full-time job but it makes Cars & Coffee a lot of fun.
I saw my first Citroen in the summer of 1973. It left me confused because the lines were rather convoluted to my eyes yet I could, even at the age of 17 see that it was super high quality. Unfortunately I have never had the opportunity to drive one but hopefully the experience will avail itself at some point.
The Maserati Merak did share the SM engine. The later Biturbo also had an irregular-firing 90º V6, but it was a completely new engine. Torque steer comes from having unequal-length drive shafts. The SM doesn't torque steer because its transmission is longitudinal and on center, so the driveshafts are equal.
I worked on a non-fuel-injected model in the late 70s and was so surprised when we hoisted the car and found those in-board brake discs. Not an easy brake job to perform in those days without special equipment. Many of the steering-controlled headlamp cars came into the US through Japan from returning servicemen since they COULD be sold in Japan.
A few extra items to note... Like the DS, under medium to heavy braking there was no nose dive, the front and rear would squat together plus there was a load proportion valve which was like an early antilock rear brakes.. The steering was 2 turns lock to lock with Power Self Centring (also on the CX with 2.5 turns lock to lock.) A phenomenal high speed tourer, especially on intermediate roads.
The steering ratio was indeed ultra-quick compared to its contemporaries, but the Americans were not as slow as described here. By the early 1970s the Fords still had bog-slow power steering at 4.0 turns lock-to-lock, Chryslers were 3.5 turns, and GMs, which were largely the wonderful Saginaw variable-ratio gear, were typically between 3.0 and 3.5, if memory serves.
(Adam, my spouse is from Belgium and French was her first language; She pronounces Citroen the way most people in the United States do: "SIT row en", not "Sit row ahh". Andre Citroen wasn't French, he was from the Netherlands.)
I had a couple of SMs. Brilliant, in the best French tradition. The Italian bits… perhaps not so much. A feature you don’t mention, Adam, is worthy of renown… the CARBON FIBER road wheels shown on several examples here. A very rare factory option, they were developed and produced by Michelin. I acquired a set in the 1980s, which was one of fifty reproduction sets made at the behest of the SM Club of France. I took one by the edge of the rim, with two fingers, and easily lifted it at arm’s length. I don’t recall the weight, but it was like a feather. Those rims were on the SMs that came 1 - 2 in the Morocco Rally, so they were rigged, to boot. Those, along with the inboard disc brakes, mitigated to some extent the quirky steering/road feel by virtue of extremely low unsprung weight, though these cars were notorious understeerers and there was nothing to be done about that. Another most advanced feature was rear ABS… as the rear axle unloaded, the height corrector for the hydropneumatic suspension, as it worked to lower the rear ride height, had an ancillary function which was to reduce rear brake pressure as well, which was coming not from the driver’s foot or vacuum boost, but from the high-pressure pump by way of the “champignon” brake valve. This feature got me out of trouble one night when I had to drop anchor at speed on a slick stretch of I-75. Weak spots not mentioned: Timing chains/tensioners! (Aftermarket solutions have been developed… if one hasn’t yet lunched their Maserati V6.) Carbon water pump seals… Sodium-cooled exhaust valves that come apart at the seams… Stainless replacements are available… again, if your engine hasn’t shot craps… Reciprocating OEM A/C compressors… Either Citroen failed to do a torsional vibration analysis or it was done all wrong… Sankyo rotary compressor is the solution… again, if your V6 ain’t yet blown chunks due to this engineering fumble. The SM was an exquisite prototype… with the customer doing the shakedown run…
I wonder if installing a clutched alternator pulley would be worthwhile on these? I suppose the engine runs smooth enough it's not a huge source of backward loading.
@@MoGreazy You mean rigid (as in very strong). I am sure that the wheels shown in the photos are aluminium replicas, I have a set. They look nearly the same but the cutouts are not quite as shiny as the resin wheels. Resin wheels weigh 8 pounds, so extremely light! They were made by Michelin, they did a production run in 1990/1 then broke the molds as they didn't want any more liability.
Nice diversion from all the American iron Adam! The SM was, and still is, an automotive engineering tour-de-force. Not sure if I'd ever want to own one but they are cool to look at and ride in. Happily, many US spec cars have since been retrofitted with the European lamps.
Just for clarification, RR/Bentley (with the introduction of the Silver Shadow and T2) employed the Citroen suspension only in the rear, and only as a ride height control mechanism. The car still had coil springs front and rear, and hydraulic shock absorbers front and rear.
According to what I’ve read, the Shadow/T had the self-leveling system on all 4 wheels from launch, but on the rear only after 1969. They also used it for the main braking circuit, though in a manner with more conventional feel to the driver, and no “button” valve on the floor.
@@shiftfocus1 You are right. Thank you for correcting me. Rear only from 69-70. But still only for leveling, not suspension as there was coils at all four corners.
I had a Peugeot 504 and you’re right. That’s one of the most comfortable rides I’ve ever experienced. Zero power but beautiful driving experience. Big steering wheel. Sliding steel sun roof.
They were so cool, but I got a Lincoln Mark III 1971 because I knew it would work, and it did. Still, I am attracted to this wicked woman and a basket case in terms of reliability. The Mark III got 18 MPG at 65 mph and was ultra reliable. Still, the Citroen SM Was Sexy ! ! !
Growing up in the late 70's, early 80's we had a neighbor who had one (US Spec) certainly the coolest looking car on the block but, being that we lived in Oklahoma it was kind of hard to find someone who could service it. He only had it a few years before selling it.
The first time I saw one of these was at the 1973 Detroit Auto Show, and I really loved it. At the time, I couldn’t get over how modern and futuristic it looked, and I think the design has held up really well. It’s still one of my favorite cars.
Once in 1973 my father was looking for a new car after a terrible adventure with a brand new BMW with factory faulty engine. I told him that I have seen the right car for him, its name was "Citroen Maserati SM". Well, he bought it. The price was the equivalent of a large apartment in the city center. Well, what a car. Even today, when I remember those distant days I feel gratitude towards Citroen and Maserati engineers for creating such a technical masterpiece and I am still proud to have advised my father to purchase one of the best cars in history.
Watched Scott @Cold War Motors do a top-shelf resto on a DS then immediately drive it across Canada to deliver it (Edmond AB to Montreal ON!). He's also got a Safari wagon he drives seasonally and an SM queued up to restore. Rarely see any Citroens being driven here in Monterey California despite this being ground zero for classic cars and Euro exotica. They were relatively popular rich-guy cars back in SE Pennsylvania when new; legendary for their unsurpassed ride but quirky and finicky and expensive to maintain since new. Also legedary for rust, weren't they?
The SM was better built than the DS, so rust was somewhat less of a problem. But if left outside all the time, and driven on salty roads, well yeah, they rusted. Not many survive today, estimates put it at about 300 in the US, of the just over 2000 sold here. And those that are left are typically well cared for.
Very interesting. When I was 19 I had a 1972 ( if memory serves) Peugeot 504. Fun little sedan with long suspension travel. Transmission went south and that was that.
Like the DS, these also had automatic proportioning of brake force front to rear. It varied with rear suspension pressure which was proportional to load.
Thank you Adam. I recall this car and the film The Longest Yard where it was featured. I recall how Burt Reynolds drove this car in the film and the actress Anitra Ford told him do you take my Maserati. I thought the SM was interesting looking. I have been in two Citroens. The 1970 DS and the larger model from the late 1980's. Thank you for sharing this car.
![ทางเดินชีวิต - ธีเดช ทองอภิชาติ x อ.ไข่ มาลีฮวนน่า [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1f3wcG16dd4/mqdefault.jpg)
I own an SM. I used to work at a garage in Los Angeles called “SM World” which specialized in the SM. My boss, the late Jerry Hathaway, was close friends with Jay Leno, and we would work on his Citroëns. The only job I’ve ever had where I would choose to go in on my day off. I own a ‘75, Euro-spec headlights, 3.0L with EFI swapped for Bosch K-Jetronic MFI, 5MT. The Hydro-Pneumatic system is quirky, but makes sense once you learn how it works. As long as everything is well-maintained and allowed to warm-up before being driven, it’s fine. The engine needs to stretch, but once it has done so, it needs to be exercised. Classic Maserati DOHC engines need to be allowed to get into the high rev range, don’t short-shift it. If something does go wrong, however, it can go very very wrong, especially in regards to the hydropneumatic system.
Awesome!
Nice! I used to work for George at Sunset Coachmen in NC. We were mostly Peugeot, but got the opportunity to work on a quite a few DS and SM too.
*EDIT
Sorry to hear about Jerry's passing. He helped me out immensely on a particularly troublesome Palais. Pinched pipe from a poorly spotted lift.
Remembering Jerry. Always accessible for support for SM enthusiasts
There are few people I envy. You are one.
When you have a job that you’re happy to go to on your day off, you’re not actually ‘working’ for a living…you’re actually being paid to enjoy what you do. I too had a job like that for the past 20+ years
There's an axiom I heard about the French.
"The French copies nobody and nobody copies the French"
But they’ll surrender to a German, lol.
Becaause their cars are mostly shite
@@AdamWaffen
Like in Verdun, 1916, for instance. Greatest battle ever, French victory. Try to learn some history, clown. During more than 1500 years, the French had experienced countless massacres on their soil, and won alone against entire coalitions more wars and battles than all western nations put together, this, when US were still a desert populated by Indian nations and USians still in their Europeans ancestor's balls. Napoleon marched first in Berlin in 1806, 134 years before Adolf in Paris. The only wars that US public have ever experienced near them are in movie theaters. I really appreciate ignorant clowns, who always remember the few French failures, and who forget at the same times centuries of victories and domlination. Pathetic.
@@AdamWaffen
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_history_of_France
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Verdun
@@AdamWaffen
Like in Verdun, 1916, for instance. Greatest battle ever, French victory. Try to learn some history, clown. During more than 1500 years, the French had experienced countless massacres on their soil, and won alone against entire coalitions more wars and battles than all western nations put together, this, when US were still a desert populated by Indian nations and USians still in their Europeans ancestor's balls.
Circa 1973, when I was just a kid, I noticed a Citroën SM that was regularly being parked in our small town. I was instantly fascinated by it, it’s such a cool-looking car! I wrote a letter to the Citroën company requesting a sales brochure to learn more about the vehicle and so I could have some pictures of it. A couple of months later my mom answered the doorbell to a man who was looking for Thomas (that’s me). When my mom asked what it was about, he explained that I’d requested information about the SM, and he was from the not-so-local car dealership that sold them.
My mom told him, “Well, Thomas is here…but he’s twelve years old.”
I don’t think I ever got the sales brochure; he must’ve left pretty dejected.
That's a very funny story, thanks!
I'm french, and I learnt to drive on a Citroën SM. It was new at the time, and my dad also had a DS, which was my favourite car to drive. They were original and very well engineered. Even today, I don't see any other cars that are innovative as these.
Do French people hold these cars in high regard like Americans hold Buick for example?
@@ryanwitman8672 Much higher!
I can only agree! I own a DS 23 IE Pallas -74 my self. My dream car!
The first Citroen that I ever laid eyes on was when I lived in Spain as a Mormon missionary (a past I truly regret *cough) and since we missionaries were only allowed to move around on foot I saw my first Citroen DS taxi coming towards us way out in the middle of nowhere on the NW coastline above Portugal (tithe hamlet of Pontevedra that was ruined by an Exxon Valdez type oil spill). We Got in the back seat on this very hilly and curvy road and I was flabbergasted at the ride. We were just floating above the road and felt NOTHING! I fell in love immediately and wondered why we didn't have this brilliant car all over the US but of course decades later I learned about the unique properties of the suspension with the green fluid that ran most of the cars underpinnings. Just BRILLIANT engineering and I was so sad when I got back to Tucson Arizona and saw a 1975 SM sitting in the sun next to a gas station just rotting in the Arizona sun...heartbreaking but those shade tree gas jockeys had no clue what they were looking at and the dealers had all vanished from the US (reputable dealers) by then.
Yup - just stunning cars and in my opinion they still kick the modern cars right to the curb even today....Thanks for this wonderful video history and education buddy, you never fail to deliver. I am a HUGE fan and yes, I have owned many of the 1970's Fords and merc/Lincolns that you still have in your collection. I still drive my 2005 Merc Grand Marquis daily with only 110k on the clock and it has NEVER failed me other than the AC which just died las week and has been replaced. I Best damned car I have ever owned and identical to the Lincolns in every way except the formal rear roof line. Love the 4.6 V-8 on the Panther platform. Cruises on the freeway at 100 MPH all day long in pure comfort and ya just gotta do that Italian tune up at teat speed for awhile, right???? LOLOL
One of several surprising stories about Mitt Romney and motor vehicles was the accident he had in France driving a Citroen DS while working as a Mormon missionary in 1967. I think it was the other guy's fault, but there was some contention that the whole missionary thing got him out of the draft; I don't remember if that was well founded. Another was of his family vacationing in a 1977 Chevy wagon; they had no room inside for the dog, so they strapped the dog carrier to the roof rack; dog lovers were not amused by that one. Finally, Romney was arrested on Lake Cochituate in Natick, MA because he refused to stop using his boat with an expired registration (or maybe license); he thought that being rich enough to pay the fine, he could just go on boating illegally. The cop didn't see it that way. Whatever their vices and virtues, there is no shortage of strange stories involving the Romneys.
Those 4.6 V8 were grate engines, easy to work on and hard to kill. Don’t know why Ford shied away from them.
@@pcno2832 Oh yeah. That DS head on collision had a fatality, and although it was in the DS, the tragic casualty was a young woman who was shoehorned in the front between the bucket seats in the center where there was no real seat, no protection, and certainly no seat belt. I suppose her chances were better there than strapped to the roof but it's a moot point now.
I lived in L.A. back in the 80s. A neighbor had one of these. When I left for work in the morning., this car would be sitting on the ground. I could never figure out what the hell was going on with his suspension!
Used to quality content on this channel, my appreciation for it rose to a new level today!
Refreshing to see a Euro car here for sure.
One of the most important cars ever made, in styling and engineering. 50 years after introduction it still looks like a future concept.
Ultra-smooth ride and huge interiors. Engineering tour-de-force from France.
I would disagree on the "huge interior" comment. The car is narrow by American standards, so the shoulder room is also narrow. And while a normal sized adult can sit in the back access is difficult. The ride is unsurpassed.
@@CitEnthusiast Huge interiors for period European cars. American cars were bigger indeed.
I was into French cars in the late 90s to early 00s. Worked for a Peugeot specialist during the time. Got the opportunity to mess with a few SMs and quite a few more DSs. Amazing cars.
Left there and gravitated back towards Porsche, but still respect Citroen cars of this era immensely.
Adam, your French pronunciation is very good for an American car guy. The pretty girls were in French class in HS. Thats why it was my first foreign language.
Adam's from the Franco-American city of Détroit, Michigan.
A friendly poke from your bilingual neighbour to the north. 😊
Part of the problem with Citroen in the US was too many people would "mess with" them.
@@JohnReitz-ps2ct wow that is so true. I will take a neglected car (or house or anything else) over one that has been "messed with" incessantly. I had one where their work around required another work around so by the time I rescued it the work-arounds were layered and nested. Just an inordinate amount of time to straighten out for the most part.
One of the Life Members of the Citroen Car Club of NSW and Founding members turned 100 in May 2024. Conversion of LHD to Right Hand Drive on a SM is one of the most challenging of any cars. Bruce Scott-Smith did so in his Sydney suburban garage...
Such was the quality of conversion the engineer certifying it for registration thought it was a factory produced RHD. A reverse mould for the dashboard was made up and 3 RHD dashboards cast... I had a fabulous drive of his 1971 SM down the Southern Highlands and back up the South Coast.... awesome.
The closest I can to ownership of a SM was a 1978 CX Prestige 2400 EFI 5 speed.
Magic for eating the vast Aussie open road distances.
One of the most beautiful cars ever made
A true piece of rolling art. From the smart and stylish design themes, to the engineering marvels, the SM delivers. Like any good piece of art, you either Love it or hate it. Myself I Love it.
I’m French and I’m proud of it, I can’t describe how I love this car
No mention of the DIRAVI power steering system? Speed sensitive, actively self centering and effectively "steer by wire, errr, hydraulics". In normal operation there is no mechanical connection between the steering wheel and the mechanical steering mechanism. Only in the event of a high pressure hydraulics failure an emergency steering column is used to safely guide the vehicle to a stop. Thanks to the active self centering the SM (and later CX) are also exceptionally stable in cross-winds, in part helped by the superb for their time Aerodynamics (Cd of 0.338), even with the somewhat lackluster power of the Maserati V6 and 1.6ton curb weight these cars can quite happily drive at 140mph all day long. In theory. The SM chassis and engine are also the base for the ultra rare 1975 Maserati Quattroporte II.
During development of said Maserati, one SM was equipped with a 260hp V8 engine, and in fact the standard chassis could quite easily take that extra power with minimal modifications.
And finally, the optional factory "alloy" wheels were actually made from glass fiber reinforced plastic, they were developed by Michelin for the SMs rally efforts (rather successful ones) and weighed about half of what the standard steel wheels with covers weighed.
Well said. I owned a few CX's, all had the same DIRAVI steering. Magical, especially on the open road. So sure footed.
The steering of the SM is in fact “return dependent on speed and steering angle”. In fact, it is extremely direct, with just one turn of the steering wheel to turn the wheels to one side. When parked, the assistance is total, allowing you to maneuver without any effort. At high speeds, the steering stiffens to provide more precision and firmness.
It is the centrifugal regulator which allows this feat, which will surprise more than one SM driver.
@@oi32df wow. Perfect. What about the brakes?
@@AndrewCDiprose I know less about its brakes but I remember that a mother of one of my friends had one and the brakes caught fire.
This car reminds of something my art teacher once said, "It might be art, but it's not hanging on my wall."
I clicked on this video so fast! I loved going to see these cars at the dealership down the street from our house in the 1970's. I remember seeing a Peugeot without sealed beam headlights and that made me so excited because I hated our sealed beam terrible headlights that were required in the USA.
Now we’re talking. The SM is in my “dream car garage,” as is the DS on which it was based.
And thank you for taking the effort to pronounce Citroen correctly, a level of respect some other American TH-camrs could learn to emulate.
I concur ... I was going to make a similar comment, but decided to see if anyone else mentioned it !
(Having said that, your “English” pronunciation of Jaguar needs, um, work…)
There is really no way to properly say it. It's a made up name, and has roots in Dutch, not French. I say it "See-tro-En", or when I'm lazy "Sitron" because I did not grow up in France. 🙂 Just ask a Brit how to say it, and you'll begin to see what I mean.
A friend of mine had one in the early 2000s. It was such a fabulous car, everyone stared at it and gathered around to talk about it. It was VERY unreliable and constantly breaking down and of course there was no mechanic in town who knew anything about them. That aside it was the most incredible vehicle and beautiful to ride in, so smooth and the engine sounded beautiful.
Amazing, amazing automobiles. A DS is on my lottery list; preferably a European model w/ covered , moving head / cornering lights. Thanks for featuring this fantastic car!
I visited an exotic car dealership in Chicago in 1973 that had just put an SM onto their showroom floor and was just amazed at how different luxury European cars were compared to the muscle cars I had been driving, especially how much more ergonomic were the interiors and switchgear. Of course I wanted one, but at age 19 that wasn’t in the cards! 😉 I was greatly excited to see one in action in The Longest Yard with Burt behind the wheel. 👍
In 1974, at 11 years old I felt pressure to name the ultimate car I'd ask for if offered my choice. Citroën SM was it for me, although the Porsche Turbo Carrera got some side-eye.
Thanks for this one! I am lucky enough to have a DS (Break) and an SM, and they are just the very best cars. Fun bit of trivia: The Euro-spec front ends were available for the first couple of years in Canada, and I was able to procure one for my 1973 model. I think the SM interior is the best of any postwar car; it still looks contemporary today, and was just so far ahead when the car was introduced. As with the DS, rust is the enemy, but once sorted, they are without peer in terms of ride quality. I was very happy to hear that you are also a fan of French cars! I think that a Peugeot 604 would be a nice fit in your collection of "executive cruisers"! Thanks again for all of your quality productions... All the very best from Canada.
I agree. I vote for earlier 604 V6SL.
I would love to have a Citroën. DS, SM, whatever. Just cool cars
I love the Traction Avant as well. Didn't Adam start a "Gangster Car" series recently? That one should be on there.
Not just "whatever"?!
I think the SM is the best looking grand tourer ever made. Full stop. It's litterally an art piece on wheels. And with that famous suspension system, you could drive it from the tip of Jutland all the way down to the Mesina Strait without breaking a sweat. And on the way down, you could nip by along the Amalfi coast, and you wouldn't look out of place...
Thanks for reviewing the magnificent Citroen SM model! It should be mentioned that this car in 1972 won the Motor Trend Magazine "Car of the Year" award (when they only awarded one vehicle per calendar year.) The design has aged very well and still looks quite contemporary today!
It was the first foreign car to receive that award, well worth mentioning.
Happy watch any video you make on cars. Just take me for a ride of information
I think it is a good thing to include extraordinary European /Japanese cars into this channel which very much helps evaluate with a different view angle extraordinary automotive design and tech conceived in the US at the time.
I’m one of those uh… uncommon people who truly delights in the sometimes brilliant idiosyncrasies that is the French automobile industry.
It’s a beautiful car!
WEIRDO! 😁 Love it.
My absolute favourite motor car of all time. ❤😊
also love the four-door Opéra and Présidentielle versions.
Bravo on your great French . My absolute dream car.
Love from Canada
I too was impressed with his pronunciation, and I haven't studied French since junior high school!
Oui. Vraiment.
Well, Adam does live right on our doorstep, in Détroit!
Agreed, Adam's French pronunciation is impressive.
Love it, Adam. Thanks for reviewing this one.
A stunning Euro spec model with the Cibie rotating headlamps and flush, blade bumpers.
My grandfather had a '66 Citroen DS. I loved the 4-speed column-mounted shifter and dream-like suspension. Great memories cruising around the SF Bay Area in 1969-70, and beyond. My grandfather was a mechanic by trade and owned his own shop so the Citroen was always in top form.
I saw my first SM in 1971 and although I didn't like what was done to it for the U.S. market, it was one of the most beautiful cars I had ever seen.
I remember in my first job as a mechanic we had a ‘72 SM come in. My boss said it was a piece of junk, I found it a fascinating car. This particular one had six complete exhaust systems from engine to tail pipes. Also the entire underside was plated in with steel panels. I was impressed by the interior layout especially. I didn’t even know about the hydro pneumatic suspension then, but I could see the car was designed all day high speed driving. When in ran it sounded like a V8.
People who can'r fix them call them junk. People who understand them, love them.
@@andoletubemechanics hate complicated cars
The engine does not sound like a V8. It's an odd-fire V6, Buick made one that had the same firing pattern. Each bank of cylinders is essentially one engine, there were two sets of points and two coils, and the cap and rotor had two traces for the coil inputs. It's a very lumpy idle and the sound is unique to this design, a very cool sound. Redline is at 6,500 rpm, higher than the V8s of the day.
Thank you for this video on one my personal favorites. These cars were engineered like no others and still look as futuristic today as the day they were produced even back to the 50's. Thanks again!
I remember as a teenager reading up on the SM when it was named car of the year in Motor Trend magazine in '72 and was absolutely fascinated by it (I'm now 66yo and still a subscriber to Motor Trend by the way - that's a lot of magazines)! They also had side by side pictures of the headlight differences between the Euro and American SM's and thought the sealed beam American version really ruined the look of the front end. Although great looking cars, I've heard these are a nightmare to restore and need constant "attention" to keep on the road and were never really considered "every day reliable transportation" even when new.
Lots of improvements have been applied to the cars over time, by zealous owners. So properly done up the cars are easy to maintain. I drive mine regularly. Change the points for electronic ignition to get past that constant maintenance (and improve low rpm performance), redo the engine with modern timing chains and solid exhaust valves (these two items killed more SMs than anything else, my car had the engine replaced in the late '70s due to failure). Many other things you can do to make them more enjoyable, like LEDs in the instruments, but they really are not hard to keep on the road if you know what you are doing. And back in the day (I drove one every day for work back in the '70s) the DS was considered a very reliable car, but that's a different engine. 🙂
My dad had a customer who owned several Citroens, which we pronounced as "Sit-Ron."
Alas, this man, nicest guy, always smiling, was very fat, and this was in the days when being so heavy was rare.
He went in for "stomach surgery." He came out, lost a lot of weight, never smiled any more, and then died, at age under 40. Very sad. I know these surgeries are MUCH less risky now than they were 50 years ago.
My father had one and it was fantastic, but by the end of his ownership every one of the family knew the name of the mechanic because my dad has been so much time there, the car was serviced at a Costa Mesa dealership
I love SMs. They're unique and beautiful. I know I'll take some flak but a restomod could be sweet as part of the fleet.
Nice car
Despite not being a fan of restomods myself, I can sure see why you'd be in favor of it.
@@johnstapler5956 NGL, the Maserati 90° V6 was a suboptimal design. Inherently imbalanced since it was based off the V8.
1st gen SHO powerplant? Love that engine.
From my auto tech's point of view, and I actually worked on these, the Citroen SM was a very quirky car, and trouble prone. These cars were as foreign to an American as you could get.
The oil-based hydraulic fluid, which we called green cool aide, because that's what it looked like. I remember that it was sold by Citroen dealers in one or one-half liter rectangular plastic bottle for $50. In the mid-70's, I remember these with stickers of $13K, which was quite pricey for the time. They were also available with a 3 spd. automatic transmission. They sat in showrooms for a long time, so I imagine the dealers had to discount them to dispose of them.
Rolls-Royce and Bentley licensed the system from Citroen, which not only was used for rear suspension leveling and the brake system. They referred to it as a mineral oil system. It was actually Castrol Mineral oil and was much cheaper than the Citroen fluid. It was a much more reliable system than R-R's previous Castrol LMA brake fluid system. Jaguar used this system for it's automatic rear leveling suspension in the XJ6 cars from 1988-93. This was problematic and expensive to work on. When Ford took over Jaguar, this system was the 1st to go.
Anyway, I could buy this Castrol mineral oil from my Roll-Royce part supplier for less than the Jaguar dealer's paid for their version. Same exact bottle but with different car logos on them.
The original Citroen Dealer in town stopped selling the SM's when the car was discontinued. The factory-trained Citroen mechanic left the dealership for parts unknown. Citroen of America no longer brough cars into the U.S., but they still maintained a parts inventory. We were dealing with and buying parts directly from them. They started referring Citroen owners to us. That's where this next car came from. It was an unfortunate mistake.
The Maserati V6 was a nightmare. A major problem was the water pump, and not just because it was it was mounted to the engine end which was up against the firewall. The water pump was mounted in the timing cover and used "O" rings to keep the coolant out of the crankcase. They would fail and the water would mix with the engine oil, creating a brown slurry with the consistency of pudding. The car owner didn't want to spend any more on the car. He sold it to a guy who bought it for parts from So. Cal. When he came to trailer the car back, he told us that he paid our customer $3K. We were surprised the amount was so much and he stated that when he sold the rear window, he would get more than that back, plus he would still have all the rest of the parts to sell.
Now, we cut our teeth on a 1973 Citroen SM a few years before. Everything was usual for that car, all those problems associated with French cars. Then, they spun a rod bearing in the engine. We ended up buying a factory workshop manual, but it was written in French. We were looking for machine specs so we could repair the engine. There were none in the manual. We ended up buying a connecting rod from Citroen, so we could measure it. We fixed the engine and we never saw the car again. At that time, we never wanted to see another one, but memories are short....
If I remember correctly, also Daimler-Benz took a license for this suspension technology and equipped the W116 6.9 450SEL with their own version of it.
@@htimsid Yes. D-B probably did. And it was available on other M-B's too, like the 500SEL Eurospec car. They used a hydraulic cylinder at each corner of the cars. This included several nitrogen-charged accumulators also. They used it solely for the suspension and did NOT use it for the brakes. BUT, here's the difference. Instead of using the Castrol Mineral Oil fluid or the Citroen green slime, they used a much cheaper fluid available from multiple manufacturers. Today, 1L of the genuine M-B hydraulic suspension fluid goes for around $20. U.S. You can get it from Pentosin and Febi for under $10. U.S.
I have purchased alot of it when I was an independent auto tech who specialized on M-B.
In addition to the upper-model cars, M-B used it as a rear-leveling system on their station wagon models. like the 300TD. Jaguar, pre-Ford, also used the system, as a rear-leveling system, using the Castrol Mineral Oil fluid.
As I think I stated before, R-R/Bentley used the system for rear-leveling AND the brake system. Using the Castrol Mineral oil(which was also green).Their previous system used Castrol LMA brake fluid, which had sealing problems, had to be bled manually, needed routine hydraulic accumulator and pressure multiplier service. The systems were fed by 2 hydraulic piston pumps attached to the chest plate of the 6.75L V8.
May have already been said but with the bizarre complexity of French engineering and robust bulletproof reliability/S!!! of Italian powerplants SM wasn't the model designation, it was telling you that being into S&M was a prerequisite of ownership.
Looks like an absolute mechanics nightmare to work on
Big time
I was horrified, when the engine compartment was shown 🤣
I'll pass!
@@Galfrid co called it a nightmare but this car is much worse.Adam likes it.I wouldn,t want anything to do with it.cj not co
Adam, with all due respect Bentley (and Rolls-Royce) did not use the Citroën hydraulic suspension system. They did, however, use certain aspects of it, but the two systems are very different. Additionally, you missed a unique instrumentation point in the SM (and the DS): the speedometer incorporates braking distance calibration.
I was always mesmerized by the advanced looks of the Citroen SM from the first picture in a car magazine to actually seeing one in person. In the mid-1970s a white SM resided in a garage in Austin's posh Highland Hills neighborhood. The last time I saw an SM was years later in a used car lot. Despite it being hunkered down at its lowest setting and a large puddle of hydraulic fluid beneath it, this sand beige metallic SM still looked like a rocketship from the future.
my granddad had a Panhard from the late 50s as his work car, he loved it, white with red interior. as kids we loved it for the rumbly 2 stroke engine and modern white dash...just lovely. However my grandmother didn't share our admiration and refused to ride in it, but then his other car was a 55 Olds 98.
I’ve owned a 1973 DS 23 Pallas for a while, a car that shares a number of similarities with the SM. Fascinating automobile, so different yet so utterly practical.
Here in South Africa the SM is extremely rare, so I only ever saw one in the metal, but I’ll openly confess to lusting after it to this day.
Fabulous video, thanks.
One of my favorite cars and the 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year. My uncle owned a 1961 DS wagon back in the day. It was unlike anything else on the road, so advanced for its time. I recall how incredibly well it rode, its single spoke steering wheel and the bulb for the brake pedal. Thanks for the memories!
Absolute museum pieces , the french culture is so intricate , and esquite. What a marvel at how cultures make art come out differently. What a cool video , thank a bizunch
As an SM owner I hear all sorts of misinformation about them. You've done well, except for mentioning that the engine lived on in the Maserati Biturbo. It didn't. The Biturbo engine was based on the C114 in the SM, but was very different. It had turbos, it had 3 valves per cylinder, it had timing belts instead of chains, it was 2.0 Litres, 2.5 Litres etc. Not the same engine at all
These are such timelessly beautiful cars! Ever since I had the Corgi version as a kid, I have been amazed by them and consider it the best-looking French car, by far. And those seats! It would be fun to drive one someday. Thank you for featuring this car, Adam.
I had the Matchbox version! It was orange, and the last Matchbox car I ever had. I held onto that thing for years.
Adam,my uncle in Greece that turned me onto Group B rally racing when I was a kid owned one of those SMs. He was a master at rowing through the gated shifter. I always loved riding in it and I watched him drive it on 3 wheels.Mike the Greek
In 1980, we visited family in Indianapolis over Christmas. We went to a house on the east side of the city, near the Riley towers. There in the garage was a Citroën SM. I was basically led out to the garage to look at it. Perhaps mom knew that I had a Matchbox of this very car? Not sure, but I knew it was special.
Such a super sophisticated vehicle of its time, also is a very unique and good looking car as well!
My wealthy high school buddy's parents had one, along with an Audi 5000. His pop was a local surgeon. I remember looking under the hood and wondering what the heck all these green spheres did! Meanwhile, the rest of the neighborhood drove Plymouth Valiants.
Last year on the Autobahn here in Germany a SM overtakes my at really high speed (round about 170-180m/h) driven by a very old man. A surreal but cool moment.
My father told the story of driving his SM up Interstate 5 in California, passing a state trooper at a very high rate of speed. He was pulled over after he slowed to just 95MPH. The trooper asked him several times how fast he'd been going when he passed him, Dad was reluctant to tell him but he assured Dad he just wanted to know, that he couldn't write him up based on his statement (he'd already written the ticket for 95). Dad told him he's been going 145 MPH. The trooper told him he shouldn't have slowed down, he'd have never caught him. Dad was 82 years old at the time (RIP).
My compliments for your pronounciation of Citroën and Peugeot. Fun fact, the name Citroën is a frenchified name from Dutch (Citroen), meaning Lemon.🙂André Citroëns family from his father's side came from the Netherlands and as the French don't know how to pronounce the Dutch "oe" sound, he changed it to "oë".
I drive a DS 21 daily and appreciate this video and like your pronunciation of Citroen. Dispelling the myths and misunderstandings of these cars is a full-time job but it makes Cars & Coffee a lot of fun.
Thanks for featuring one of my all time favorite car the Citroen SM
You forgot to mention you can change a tire using the hydraulics and this car can be driven with 3 wheels
I saw my first Citroen in the summer of 1973. It left me confused because the lines were rather convoluted to my eyes yet I could, even at the age of 17 see that it was super high quality. Unfortunately I have never had the opportunity to drive one but hopefully the experience will avail itself at some point.
11:40 I've got to say, that 55 year old car looks modern by today's standards. Gorgeous. Timeless.
Great and surprising episode. I own an SM and it is really a commitment and lifestyle. Thanks!
Great way to express it
@RareClassicCars keep up the great programs. Since you are doing foreign cats also now, think about the Volvo 1800, which I also have.
Hi, the BiTurbo V6 is not related to the earlier SM/Merak engine. Its got timing belt and initially was 3 valves per cylinder.
The Maserati Merak did share the SM engine. The later Biturbo also had an irregular-firing 90º V6, but it was a completely new engine. Torque steer comes from having unequal-length drive shafts. The SM doesn't torque steer because its transmission is longitudinal and on center, so the driveshafts are equal.
I worked on a non-fuel-injected model in the late 70s and was so surprised when we hoisted the car and found those in-board brake discs. Not an easy brake job to perform in those days without special equipment. Many of the steering-controlled headlamp cars came into the US through Japan from returning servicemen since they COULD be sold in Japan.
Glad to hear you pronounce the name, I'm sure I've been saying it wrong all these years. Fascinating and nice looking car.
A few extra items to note...
Like the DS, under medium to heavy braking there was no nose dive, the front and rear would squat together plus there was a load proportion valve which was like an early antilock rear brakes..
The steering was 2 turns lock to lock with Power Self Centring
(also on the CX with 2.5 turns lock to lock.)
A phenomenal high speed tourer, especially on intermediate roads.
The steering ratio was indeed ultra-quick compared to its contemporaries, but the Americans were not as slow as described here. By the early 1970s the Fords still had bog-slow power steering at 4.0 turns lock-to-lock, Chryslers were 3.5 turns, and GMs, which were largely the wonderful Saginaw variable-ratio gear, were typically between 3.0 and 3.5, if memory serves.
I had a first gen Miata which also has quick steering. Lovely around town, but quite twitchy at interstate speeds!
‘The French copy no one, and no one copies the French.’ And many of us frequently love them precisely because of that!
(Adam, my spouse is from Belgium and French was her first language; She pronounces Citroen the way most people in the United States do: "SIT row en", not "Sit row ahh". Andre Citroen wasn't French, he was from the Netherlands.)
Love your content man! Continuous !
GM EV1 similar design .
I always wanted one of those.
A doctor had one at marina i worked at in NY .
Really unique.
I had a couple of SMs. Brilliant, in the best French tradition. The Italian bits… perhaps not so much.
A feature you don’t mention, Adam, is worthy of renown… the CARBON FIBER road wheels shown on several examples here. A very rare factory option, they were developed and produced by Michelin. I acquired a set in the 1980s, which was one of fifty reproduction sets made at the behest of the SM Club of France. I took one by the edge of the rim, with two fingers, and easily lifted it at arm’s length. I don’t recall the weight, but it was like a feather. Those rims were on the SMs that came 1 - 2 in the Morocco Rally, so they were rigged, to boot. Those, along with the inboard disc brakes, mitigated to some extent the quirky steering/road feel by virtue of extremely low unsprung weight, though these cars were notorious understeerers and there was nothing to be done about that.
Another most advanced feature was rear ABS… as the rear axle unloaded, the height corrector for the hydropneumatic suspension, as it worked to lower the rear ride height, had an ancillary function which was to reduce rear brake pressure as well, which was coming not from the driver’s foot or vacuum boost, but from the high-pressure pump by way of the “champignon” brake valve. This feature got me out of trouble one night when I had to drop anchor at speed on a slick stretch of I-75.
Weak spots not mentioned:
Timing chains/tensioners! (Aftermarket solutions have been developed… if one hasn’t yet lunched their Maserati V6.)
Carbon water pump seals…
Sodium-cooled exhaust valves that come apart at the seams… Stainless replacements are available… again, if your engine hasn’t shot craps…
Reciprocating OEM A/C compressors… Either Citroen failed to do a torsional vibration analysis or it was done all wrong… Sankyo rotary compressor is the solution… again, if your V6 ain’t yet blown chunks due to this engineering fumble.
The SM was an exquisite prototype… with the customer doing the shakedown run…
*rugged*
I wonder if installing a clutched alternator pulley would be worthwhile on these? I suppose the engine runs smooth enough it's not a huge source of backward loading.
@@MoGreazy You mean rigid (as in very strong). I am sure that the wheels shown in the photos are aluminium replicas, I have a set. They look nearly the same but the cutouts are not quite as shiny as the resin wheels. Resin wheels weigh 8 pounds, so extremely light! They were made by Michelin, they did a production run in 1990/1 then broke the molds as they didn't want any more liability.
@@CitEnthusiast I meant rugged… Anyway, mine were from the 50 sets they did in 1990/91.
Nice diversion from all the American iron Adam! The SM was, and still is, an automotive engineering tour-de-force. Not sure if I'd ever want to own one but they are cool to look at and ride in. Happily, many US spec cars have since been retrofitted with the European lamps.
Just for clarification, RR/Bentley (with the introduction of the Silver Shadow and T2) employed the Citroen suspension only in the rear, and only as a ride height control mechanism. The car still had coil springs front and rear, and hydraulic shock absorbers front and rear.
According to what I’ve read, the Shadow/T had the self-leveling system on all 4 wheels from launch, but on the rear only after 1969. They also used it for the main braking circuit, though in a manner with more conventional feel to the driver, and no “button” valve on the floor.
@@shiftfocus1 You are right. Thank you for correcting me. Rear only from 69-70. But still only for leveling, not suspension as there was coils at all four corners.
I had a Peugeot 504 and you’re right. That’s one of the most comfortable rides I’ve ever experienced. Zero power but beautiful driving experience. Big steering wheel. Sliding steel sun roof.
The engine looks exotic though. No power?
They were so cool, but I got a Lincoln Mark III 1971 because I knew it would work, and it did.
Still, I am attracted to this wicked woman and a basket case in terms of reliability. The Mark III got 18 MPG at 65 mph and was ultra reliable. Still, the Citroen SM Was Sexy ! ! !
A beautiful grand touring car. I think it was Motor Trend’s car of the year.
Motor Trend 1972 car of the year
Thank you for showing the SM..I love watching your videos and the SM was always one of the cars I loved when I was younger and still today...
Growing up in the late 70's, early 80's we had a neighbor who had one (US Spec) certainly the coolest looking car on the block but, being that we lived in Oklahoma it was kind of hard to find someone who could service it. He only had it a few years before selling it.
I was always fascinated with these. Stunning looking and seem like had great features. Also Maserati Bora. Strange bedfellows at this time.
The first time I saw one of these was at the 1973 Detroit Auto Show, and I really loved it. At the time, I couldn’t get over how modern and futuristic it looked, and I think the design has held up really well. It’s still one of my favorite cars.
The SM and DS are two of my absolute favourite cars. Really good video and nicely explained
Quirky...... A great descriptor for French cars. And that's why I luv 'em!
It reminds me, somewhat, of the Taxi from the movie Back to the Future, but a bit newer.
Adam, this is a great "out of the box" episode.
Once in 1973 my father was looking for a new car after a terrible adventure with a brand new BMW with factory faulty engine. I told him that I have seen the right car for him, its name was "Citroen Maserati SM".
Well, he bought it.
The price was the equivalent of a large apartment in the city center.
Well, what a car.
Even today, when I remember those distant days I feel gratitude towards Citroen and Maserati engineers for creating such a technical masterpiece and I am still proud to have advised my father to purchase one of the best cars in history.
Yes, the SM was one of the most expensive cars of the time, twice the price of a 911!
I saw one of these on jay Leno's garage years ago. But my favorite Lt.Columbo drove a Puegeot
You can see how the SM's dashboard enfluenced American and Japanese cars well into the 90s.
What about European cars
13:37 the diagonal door handles - arm rests are spectacular. Off kilter, just like the entire car.
Quirky, odd, funky and obscure content here lately Adam!!
“Into The Mystic” was the title of an article in “Car” about the SM.
Watched Scott @Cold War Motors do a top-shelf resto on a DS then immediately drive it across Canada to deliver it (Edmond AB to Montreal ON!). He's also got a Safari wagon he drives seasonally and an SM queued up to restore. Rarely see any Citroens being driven here in Monterey California despite this being ground zero for classic cars and Euro exotica. They were relatively popular rich-guy cars back in SE Pennsylvania when new; legendary for their unsurpassed ride but quirky and finicky and expensive to maintain since new. Also legedary for rust, weren't they?
The SM was better built than the DS, so rust was somewhat less of a problem. But if left outside all the time, and driven on salty roads, well yeah, they rusted. Not many survive today, estimates put it at about 300 in the US, of the just over 2000 sold here. And those that are left are typically well cared for.
My all time favorite car. IMy other favorite car is a 1963.5 Falcon Sprint the Mustangs immediate predecessor .
I have always love these because of there awesome looks.
Very interesting. When I was 19 I had a 1972 ( if memory serves) Peugeot 504. Fun little sedan with long suspension travel. Transmission went south and that was that.
The algorithm brought me to this channel, I’m glad it did. Happily subscribed, keep up the awesome automotive content 👍
Welcome aboard!
Like the DS, these also had automatic proportioning of brake force front to rear. It varied with rear suspension pressure which was proportional to load.
Thank you Adam. I recall this car and the film The Longest Yard where it was featured. I recall how Burt Reynolds drove this car in the film and the actress Anitra Ford told him do you take my Maserati. I thought the SM was interesting looking. I have been in two Citroens. The 1970 DS and the larger model from the late 1980's. Thank you for sharing this car.