1972 Citroen

In 1961, Citroën began work on 'Project S', a sports variant of the revolutionary Citroën DS. As was customary for the firm, many running concept vehicles were developed, increasingly complex and upmarket from the DS. Citroën purchased Maserati in 1968 with the intention of harnessing Maserati's high-performance V6 engine technology to produce a true Gran Turismo car combining the sophisticated Citroën suspension. The result was the Citroën SM, first shown at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1970 and which went on sale in France in September of that year. Factory produced cars were all lefthand drive, although righthand conversions were done in the UK and Australia. The origin of the model name 'SM' is not completely clear. The 'S' may derive from the Project 'S' designation, the aim of which was to produce what is essentially a sports variant of the Citroën DS, and the 'M' perhaps refers to Maserati, hence SM is often assumed to stand for 'Systeme Maserati' or 'Sports Maserati'. Another common alternative is 'Série Maserati' but others have suggested it is short for 'Sa Majesté' (Her Majesty in French), which aligns with the common DS model's nickname 'La Déesse' (The Goddess).

This lefthand drive 1972 Citroën Maserati SM has been in the same family in Italy from new. Recently imported to the UK, the vendor informs us that it will be registered here by the time of the sale. In excellent condition throughout, this SM is finished in dark blue with brown leather interior and will be supplied with a V5C registration document, an MoT test certificate which expires in November 2016 and an original handbook. The Citroën SM has always been regarded as the most collectable of the post war Citroëns and rarely comes to market; as such, when one does, they usually demand high prices. This is an opportunity to purchase a rare Citroën SM that will grace any classic car collection and should prove a wise investment for the future.