1972 Citroen SM for sale $74,500
| 1972 Citroen SM $74,500 | |
| Car Ad from: Hemmings View Original Ad | |
| Price: | $74,500 |
| Contact: | View Original Ad from Hemmings |
| Location: | Emeryville, CA |
| Details: |
1972 Citroen SM s/n 005B9860 Black with Black Leather The Citroen SM is a truly fascinating car that epitomizes Citroenandrsquo;s long tradition of innovation and disregard for convention. Their previous track record included the Traction Avant, one of the worldandrsquo;s first front wheel drive cars, the 2CV, whose main competition was the donkey cart, and the DS, a stunning family car that was aerodynamic, beautiful, futuristic, and offered the first mass-produced application of disc brakes, a monocoque chassis, and a magic carpet smooth ride thanks to its adjustable height oleopneumatic suspension. The SM was introduced as Citroenandrsquo;s flagship in 1970. The company had purchased Maserati in 1968, an important piece of Citroenandrsquo;s plan to build a high performance GT that was related to the DS. Citroen asked Maserati to develop a six cylinder engine, which would be used both in this car and a new small Maserati to compete with Ferrariandrsquo;s Dino, the Merak. The 90 degree V6 featured quad cams, made typically Italian noises, and was coupled either to a 5-speed manual or an automatic transmission. The SM was extraordinarily aerodynamic, with a Kamm tail, sloping roofline, and attentive streamlining, which gave the car a coefficient of drag of just .26, well below the typical modern car and absolutely unparalleled 45 years ago. The front track was wider than the rear track, giving the car a tapered plan form, and the car featured disc brakes all round, which were inboard at the front to reduce unsprung weight. The height adjustable oleopneumatic suspension was similar to that of the DS and offered an exceptional ride. The list of innovations goes on and on, with the first introduction of variable assist power steering, automatically adjusted hydraulic brake bias based on the weight distribution of the car, and many others. The car was and remains a true revelation. Indeed, Road andamp; Track declared it one of the 10 Best Cars in the World in 1971, and it was awarded the Motor Trend Car of the Year award in 1972, a shocking achievement because even today, the award is typically bestowed on an American car. Indeed, the 1985 Volkswagen GTI was the only other non-American car to win the award until 2003. The SM was good for a genuine 140mph, making it the fastest front wheel drive car in the world at the time, and Popular Science also noted that it had the shortest stopping distance of any car they had ever tested. This 2.7L Citroen SM is finished in gorgeous black over black color combination with excellent paint finish and beautiful original leather interior.A U.S. delivered car from new, it has recently emerged from museum ownership in the Southwest The carandrsquo;s current owner is a serial SM and Citroen enthusiast, and has the ideal ownership mentality to purchase from. These cars have many unique technical attributes but are pleasurable and engaging driverandrsquo;s cars when sorted. There also exists a group of supremely knowledgeable specialists, one of the best known of which is Jerry Hathaway, owner of SM World in Los Angeles. He recently completed a $27,000 no-expense-spared service on this car to ensure it is fully functional and entirely sorted. Prior to the current ownership period, this example had seen cosmetic restoration work, to include a high quality repaint to the current black. It is also equipped with the desirable much more attractive covered headlight setup, including Cibiandeacute; glass.
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