1973 Citroën SM

The SM was extremely well received by automotive journalists. The car was capable and provided a masterful combination of comfort, sharp handling, and braking not seen in any other car of the time. Journalists marveled at the cars ability to travel for hours at 124mph in perfect comfort, “that rare quality of being a nice car to be in at any speed, from stationary to maximum.”

This SM is a subtle metallic red. While the paint does look wonderful, there are a few flawed areas to note. A walk around the car reveals the following: bubbling in the hood, scratches on the hood, paint chips in the panel gaps of the front bumper, paint chips on the roof and rear quarter panels, cracks in the taillights, paint chips on the fuel door, and several sizable chips in the paint along the passenger side of the vehicle. Black residue has affixed itself to the roof as if someone spilled Plasti-Dip onto the top of the car. We are uncertain how easy or difficult it will be to remove this substance from the car. Nevertheless, the glass around the car is clean and free of cracks. With the steering wheel fully turned in either direction, we did notice that the front wheels can rub against the body; however, both the hubcaps and tires appear to be in decent shape. Regardless, we always recommend a new set of tires. Panel gaps around the car are often uneven. The knob for the hood latch fell off at some point during the car’s travels, making the engine bay difficult to access, but not impossible. Overall, this Citroen has an abundance of flaws outside, but none of them are particularly intimidating.

Exterior trends continue inside the car, damage is both present and abundant, but again, not entirely significant. A look around the interior reveals the following: tears in the leather in the driver and passenger seat, tearing in the passenger seat headrest, tears in the carpet next to the passenger seat, and a backseat with one good seat and one that is coming apart. The dashboard, center console, and steering wheel are all in good shape. Some detailing would really bring them back to life, but all the gauges are clean and easily readable. The footwells are a bit messy and the pieces have an awkward fit to them. Carpet has been laid over the tops of the back seats. We imagine that the solid seat in good shape under the carpet, but the worse seat might have extra damage up top. Overall, we think that the bones are solid, but the car just needs a lot of touching up.

We are pleased to report that the underside of this Citroen harbors no major damage. As previously mentioned, we do believe the ride height is low. This could be from the suspension system going dormant after years of static display, or a legitimate malfunction may have occurred over the years. Regardless, the frame and floorboards are solid, and the exhaust shows slight discoloration. Under the hood, we are happy to say that trends do not continue. Everything appears to be in its proper place under the hood and the bay as a whole is one of the cleaner areas of the entire vehicle.

According to the documents available to us, we believe the seller acquired this car around April of 2013.

The Citroen SM is a delightful, quirky French cruiser. Bizarre appearance aside, it has certainly earned its keep in the classic car world as a vehicle of importance. Without Citroen, Rolls-Royce would never have become the luxury powerhouse it is today. Citroens are full of weird and wonderful gadgets and systems but that makes them appeal to a more niche audience. We believe this Citroen is at a crossroads. Damage in and around the car is light enough to pitch a great case for a well-deserved restoration, but on the flip side of the coin, there is also enough damage throughout the car to warrant some kind of restomod. Whatever the winner chooses to do, one thing is certain, this Citroen’s journey is far from over. The Market by Bonhams is thrilled to offer this 1973 Citroen SM for online auction with no reserve and an estimate between $15,000 and $25,000.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL BIDDERS

It should be noted that this vehicle has been on static display for a number of years and there is no history available beyond that displayed in our photography section.

We have not started or driven the car so cannot vouch for its mechanical viability or functionality. It will require recommissioning prior to road use and is sold ‘as seen’.

Please note that the title for this vehicle is in transit.