Keep up to date
Keep up to date with all things Trade Classics, along with new cars.
Closed Auction- Unsold

1972 Citroen SM

This auction has now closed - click 'Register Similar' below to get notified when we consign a similar vehicle.

  • Mileage~79,340 KMs
  • TransmissionManual
  • Engine2.7L
  • LocationChichester

AUCTION CLOSED

1972 Citroen SM

Register interest for similar cars

Introduction

Alan Stuart
Professional Consigner

A classic combination of design and power with the partnership of Citroen and Maserati coming together to create the SM.

In 1961 Citroen began work on 'Project S', a sports variant of the Citroen DS. Many concept cars were produced and evolved over the 9 year project, from simply developing faster models to creating entirely newly engineered cars. In 1968 Citroen purchased Maserati with one of the intentions being using the high performance engines and build quality to their advantage. Combining Citroen build and handling with Maserati speed, the aim of was to produce a high performance GT car. The result was the Citroen SM - combining craftsmanship and power in a newly developed model. Coming to market in September after the Geneva Motor Show in 1970, where it placed third in the 1971 European Car of the Year contest, the factory produced cars were largely all left-hand-drive versions.

This particular car was imported in to the UK in 2005, and comes to market from ~11 year ownership. The vendor is a Citroen enthusiast, this being their second SM, purchased with much of the important work completed for this model; upgraded timing chain, hollow sodium valves replaced with solid stems, and actioned a respray. It is an Italian market car, and comes in silver over red velour, typical for market due to the hot climate.

This auction listing was written from information supplied by Alan after meeting Andrew the owner, and having visited and photographed the vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Secure Auctions

We verify all our sellers and buyers to keep our community safe whilst also providing the highest levels of website security.

Full Transparency

8 out of 10 people that buy cars via our service don’t feel the need to visit due to the transparency and thoroughness of our listings.

Vehicle Delivery

We're there every step of your buying journey and will even arrange pick-up and delivery of your new vehicle.

Meet the owner

This car still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up, especially when you hear the Maserati roar from the twin pipes at the back.

Andrew's love of Citroen's originally came from his father, who, with an engineering background, was always impressed with Citroen suspension and how these cars handled. Andrew went on to own a DS for some 20 years, but felt the need for something more adventurous - purchasing a gold SM which he loved. Selling that car around a decade ago has left a SM shaped gap in Andrew's car ownership, and so he quickly purchased this SM as replacement therapy!

The previous owner who first registered the car in the UK actioned important work, and so for Andrew this car has really been about enjoying it "The ONLY downside to ownership, in the nicest way possible, is the huge numbers of people stopping and wanting to learn a little about it!". Recently downsizing in property, Andrew doesn't have room for the Citroen in the new house which is where this lovely example SM comes to market. He will be happy to answer any questions on the car in the comments section.

Andrew
Vehicle Owner

Ask Questions

CONTACT OWNER

Exterior

The SM is undoubtedly a head turner, unique styling that was as futuristic as the DS that preceded it.

Wheels and Tyres

The 15" wheels are the standard items for an SM, they areno nonsense and simple in their design. Wrapped in Michelin XWX tyres, they are showing some signs of age which the new owner may want to take note of for the future. View the image gallery to see the detail.

Bodywork

Overall the bodywork looked good, we noted no major areas of concern when looking over the car. The panels looked great with the teardrop design still looking absolutely stunning, a real classic design innovation against some more modern car designs. Andrew mentions that the previous owner attended to the bodywork, and so he hasn't had to action any remedial work in his ~11 year ownership.

Highlighted through our hi-resolution images and exterior video, we take a closer look at how the car looks across various angles. Take a look over the video for yourself for a detailed look where we take in various angles and viewpoints for you to get a real taste of what's on offer and for you to assess the condition of the car for yourselves.

Paint

The previous owner had a respray on this SM actioned, and as a result the paint still shows nicely across the panels. There were a few sections that we noted with a slight mark on namely above the offside headlight section, and nearside wheel arch, but not areas that caused us real cause for concern.

The images are taken from a few different angles to show off the car as you would see it if you were standing there for yourselves. So please take the time to fully assess these hi-resolution images and videos of the car, for you to make up your own minds about the condition of the paint.

Glass and Trim

Overall the glass and trim on the SM show in a great condition with no cause for concern that we noted looking over the car. Windscreen, side windows and mirrors all look good with no significant scratching, marks or chips. The trim such as Citroen logo and SM badges all looked good too.

We've taken you around the car in greater detail in our "Exterior Review" video, please take the time to look over the video and see how the glass and trim look from different perspectives.

Interior

Burgundy velour a very stylish and forward thinking design for the time, very Citroen.

Seats and Carpets

This SM is originally from Italy, and due to the climate, you'll often find cloth or velour used in classic cars, leather simply gets too hot. The velour across the seats is very retro, but could ideally do with some additional care and attention with stitching required on the drivers seat.

Overall the seats are really welcoming and inviting giving a great sense of luxury and comfort when driving out in the car.

Dashboard

The beautifully designed dials and gauges are working as they should. The sweeping dash area is so unique with its simplicity but gives the driver everything they need at a glance.

We covered some more detailed shots of the interior in our hi-resolution gallery, take a look over the images where our aim is to take you through the interior as if you were actually in the car.

Steering Wheel / Gear Stick

The steering wheel is charming and simplistic, just showing a little sign of wear on the base side of the wheel itself. The steering in the SM was at the time really technically advanced with the adjustable weight of the steering coming from the same system as the suspension.

The manual gearbox didn't miss out on the styling treatment either. No vinyl gaiter perishing over time, instead a very stylish and clever metal design, presented in very good condition.

Mechanics

A light 2.7L V6 engine produced ~174BHP, ample for the SM and its GT nature.

Engine and Gearbox

With a Maserati V6 up front, the pull feels torquey and responsive, pulling the car forward with ease. A 5 speed manual gearbox moves through the gears with no observed issues from our drive out. Andrew informs us the previous owner had changed the timing chain and hollow sodium valves changed for solid stems in the engine on the SM, two typical upgrades.

We noted no issues from start up either which we've highlighted in the cold start section of the "Mechanical review" video. Take a look over the video for yourselves to hear the SM start up from cold and take in the lovely sounds of the Maserati engine. We go into further detail about the Citroen and take it out on some local roads to get a better sense of what this car is all about.

Suspension and Brakes

On the drive out Andrew took us around some local roads, the braking felt to have no pull or vibrations that stood out to us when on the journey. We heard no knocks or bangs from the suspension. The owner has also recently had the hydraulic oil drained and serviced on the suspension system.

We covered off the underside of the Citroen's exterior in our Mechanical gallery section. Take the time to look over the images and see for yourself what's on display here, equally, head over to our video section where we've summarised our visit in more detail for you to view for yourself.

The Drive

Captivating motorists around the world with its forward thinking designs and technical advancements, the Citroen SM combined Maserati performance with the comfort of Citroen's suspension systems. It was lauded as being comfortable with all driving styles and speeds.

Electrics and Other

The dash of the SM is alive with lots of interesting features, its lovely to see that on our drive out everything was working as it should do with Andrew letting us know that he has had no issues with anything working whilst on the road. An interesting feature with the SM is that the headlights turn in line with front wheels, helping when cornering.

Head over to the video section where Andrew demonstrates the lights moving and working, along with an overview of the multi-function gauge showing fuel guide, handbrake engagement as well as other features.

History and Paperwork

This car comes to market from ~11 year ownership from an enthusiast owner, imported from italy in 2005 with just one former keeper registered in the UK.

An Italian market car, it was imported and first registered in the UK in April 2005. It spent its first 6 years in the UK with an enthusiast owner, before passing over to Andrew in 2011. The car has benefitted from some important and necessary works from its previous owner where essential jobs such as replacing the hollow sodium valves with solid stems in the engine and upgrading the timing chains. Replacement stainless steel exhausts have been added as well as an electronic ignition system and a respray was carried out as part of the cars history. Andrew has had the hydraulic oil drained and serviced on the suspension system recently in his ownership.

Should it be needed, Andrew would be happy to answer any queries or questions you may have to support your purchasing decision in the comments section below.

We’ve done all our usual seller checks including photo ID, V5 and also actioned a HPi check on the vehicle.

We've summarised our own view on the car based on information gained from the seller in the listing above, however, and as you can see, we go to great lengths to photograph and video the car in hi-resolution detail - this has been done for you to make your own assessment from the comfort of your sofa. So please sit back, have a cuppa and take your time to review everything on this listing in order to make your own assessment on the vehicle's condition. Viewings are also welcomed with all our listings, so please get in touch with us to arrange a suitable time - we just need to speak to you first and receive a valid photo ID before confirming.

If there's anything you're unsure about, no matter how small, then please first ask the owner in the comments area below before placing your bid/s, as bids can't be retracted and form a binding contract if you win the car - just like a traditional auction house.

Service History
Date Type Mileage
04.03.2016 MOT 78,938 KMs
25.03.2014 MOT 78,111 KMs
11.01.2012 MOT 77,531 KMs
25.08.2010 MOT 75,070 KMs
30.04.2009 MOT 70,952 KMs
07.02.2008 MOT 63,963 KMs
12.02.2007 MOT 53,701 KMs
Key Details
  • ModelSM
  • TransmissionManual
  • Reg. Date15.01.1972
  • Reg. Date UK29.04.2005
  • CC2,690
  • Mileage~79,340 KMs
  • ColourSilver
  • Interior ColourRed
  • Interior TrimCloth
  • Chassis #00SB5411
  • MOT ExemptYes
  • Road Tax ExemptYes
  • HPi ClearYes
  • Former Keepers1 (in UK)
  • LHD or RHDLHD
  • VisitedYes
  • Sale TypePrivate
  • Owned~11 years
  • Key FeatureEnthusiast owners, nice condition, long ownership
  • Auction ID519160






Auction Closed

Register your interest for similar cars.

This car didn't meet its reserve price and may soon be available as a private sale - please contact us for more information.

REGISTER SIMILAR
Ask Questions
Post a comment or ask the owner a question about the car.
15 Comments
jono133
jono133
2 years ago

Can you ship to france for me ?

fletchf1
fletchf1
2 years ago

Hi, I’m your message below you stated that you have not driven it much because of the fear of the snapped timing chain, a know weakness. However in your driving video you state the chains and exhaust valves had been done. Please confirm if the stronger timing chain was fitted ? Thanks

fletchf1
fletchf1
2 years ago

Hi, do you know why the sm has a us spec tailgate and license plate lights? Was this also an Italian requirement? Thanks, Christian

djwarren68
djwarren68
2 years ago

Apologies, Andrew, not Alan!

djwarren68
djwarren68
2 years ago

Alan, can you confirm the levels of surface rust under the car please?

jono133
jono133
2 years ago

What is the reserve price ?

jono133
jono133
2 years ago

When was the last MOT please ?

Harv63
Harv63
2 years ago

Lovely looking car. Please advise the following as I am unable to view prior to bidding.

1.Are all driver functions working including the air con?

2.Are there any fluid / oil leaks from either the engine, gearbox or suspension

3. Is the clutch good, or is it getting a little high.

Thank you

Harv63
Harv63
  RAndrew
2 years ago

Thank you. Away to check my bank balance!

MORE COMMENTS MORE COMMENTS

Vehicle Location

Chichester

Delivery Calculator


Thank You


Form Submitted

Your request has been submitted successfully and we'll keep you updated.