Dual ignition, 3 Weber double carburettors, later D-Jetronic*
Cooling
Pressure circulation, 13 litres
Lubrication
Pressure circulation, main flow oil filter, oil cooler 7 litres
Torque
231 Nm at 4000 rpm
Performance
125 kW (170 HP) at 5500 rpm 129 kW (175 HP) at 5750/min*, USA: 180 HP at 6250 rpm
Construction
Longitudinal (mid) engine with front-wheel drive
Transmission
Five-speed, later optional three-speed automatic
Wheelbase
2.950 mm
Turning circle
10.500 mm
Suspension front
Wishbone
Suspension rear
Trailing arm
Suspension
Hydropneumatics
Brakes f/r
Discs, not internally ventilated, knob instead of pedal, dual-circuit, automatic brake force distribution
Steering
Toothed rack, servo, speed dependent
Hand brake
Front wheels
Tyres
195 respectively 205/70 R 15 V (6")
Length
4.893 mm
Width
1.836 mm
Height
1.324 mm
Design
Robert Opron
Drag coefficient
0,32
Tank capacity
90 litres
Payload
410 kg
Kerb weight
1460 kg + driver
Top speed
More than 220 km/h
Construction period
1970 - 1975
Purchase price
Approx. 30,000 DM, US: approx. 12,000 Dollar
Electrics
12 V/ 70 Ah/ 780 W
The car developed from the cooperation with the company Maserati, taken over in 1968. The engine came from there and is actually an eight-cylinder decimated by two cylinders. This was not without problems for the firing intervals, if it would remain at 90° cylinder angle and two connecting rods on a crank pin. Whether therefore the somewhat harsh sound?
The SM was otherwise one of the most elaborate projects of the time. A sports car company supplied the 4-camshaft engine for a limousine, which had already innately a very cleverly devised chassis. Sporty engine came into comfortable and in total not lightweight body. Citroën thereby took up the pre-war time with Bugatti, Delage, Delahaye, Voisin and others. It should be the fastest front-wheel drive and the only French six-cylinder of its time
The difficulties to keep running that all without repair, one can only guess. After all, this was once again a typical Citroën product, which enthused and made you despair. And in addition an engine necessarily dependent on regular maintenance.
It took courage to bring out a top-class model with two doors and a large hatchback. After all, it was fairly streamlined, e.g. by a fully (glass) cased front and largely covered tyres, which the aerodynamics engineers had always dreamed of. Helpful is here the flat, behind the front axle mounted engine.
The car had enough technical goodies on board. Today the speed-controlled power steering is no problem, but here the control had to be handled with a governor due to lack of electronics. The cornering light was, after all operated hydraulically. Many wonderful details that made driving with this car to an experience. Have a look what the US regulatory authorities have done at the front.
If it really drove and not devoured huge running costs. Obviously, the timing chains made problems, if they have not adjusted in time. That was difficult between the engine and bulkhead. From a shaft relatively near the top in the V were driven each the two camshafts of one cylinder bank. And this included a tensioning pinion. The exchange of even only one of the chains was not possible without engine and transmission disassembly.
Here you can see the SM as a convertible. There were only very few of it, so complicated and costly was the change. Figure 1 shows even one of the two state limousines.
This SM was successfully returned from a Paris-Beijing Tour. Perhaps the SM was tested even more at the Rallye du Maroc, which was finished victorious with the drivers Jean Deschazeaux and Jean Plassard in 1971.
Here still a redesigned SM from modern times by the French tuning company Parotech. Then one knows only really to appreciate the former, classically beautiful form. It was one of the last great deeds of the company Citroën. Even at the time of the SM, Fiat had bought into Citroen with 15 percent and the company was no longer independent under the umbrella of the PSA since 1976. This happened together with the production stop of the SM after the production of about 12,000 units, 2,000 exported to USA. 05/15