5k: 1972 Citroën SM
Citroën was founded in 1919 by a French industrialist (André-Gustave Citroën (1878–1935)) and was the first mass producing car company outside the USA. Like Bernard Arnault, many Citroën have left their native shores seeking greener pastures and are now for sale for cents on the franc. This 1972 Citroën SM is for sale in San Jose, CA bidding at $5101 on ebay reserve-met with 8 days to go.
The Citroën SM was originally built as a high end GT car with a sophisticated Citroën suspension system and a Maserati V6, but today they are depreciated to DT prices. The French self leveling suspension was a regressive system so that if you were a tycoon who weighed 40 million lbs or a street sweeper who weighed 40 lbs, you would both sit at the same level…très progressive!
If a 75% tax rate won’t scare you then perhaps the 170 horsepower 2.7 liter Maserati V6 mounted behind the front axle will. The V6 is driving the front wheels for a unique mid-front setup will convince you to move to Belgium. People joke about the Porsche 928 having a better aerodynamics in reverse than forwards, but the SM would have better aerodynamics, traction and handling in reverse.
The insides of this particular example have aged about as well as North Korea’s version of communism… And it was a real wreck to begin with as well with seats that look about as comfortable as the chair in a ‘waiting’ room at the Hanoi Hilton.
The idiot light cluster looks like some kind of Communist Youth merit badge. “Hey Pierre, did you get your ‘rectangular box with a squiggly line inside it’ badge yet?” “Oui!”
We are fans of the rear end of the SM – the covered wheels and low mounted tail lights add an air of futuristic optimism to a car that came from a company that went bankrupt the year after this car was built…but that is all in the past, now Citroën are badge engineered Peugeots financed by the French government….
Would you buy this SM or tax it to death?
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Mai oui.
The Citroen fanboi's over at BaT will get their noses out of joint over the snarky tone of your write up on this steaming pile of merde.
Check the engine pic…looks an awful lot like a twin cam Fiat four!
As if the SM needed any more weirdness…the US-spec headlamp arrangement was a total miss. People always talk about having a great experience driving an SM once or twice, often saying things like, "during our drive, the oleopneumatic suspension worked amazingly well" (as if continued functionality came as a surprise). Fewer people seem to expound upon the joys long-term ownership. I suspect a run-down SM is an absolute money pit. Personally, I'm not brave enough to be that weird.
That engine pic is most certainly not a Citroen engine bay. They are a heck of a lot more crowded and complex. That looks like the engine from the beige Fiat Spider.
Greg – oops – you caught us…we wrote that last article after a few too many glasses of Glenmorangie single malt scotch. We should have our Costco cards confiscated soon and won't be able to buy the tremendous bottle that is such a great deal…and this bottle should last for another day or 3.
Photo fixed…and you are correct, it looks like a Amy Winehouse's bedroom under the hood.
I had 2 sm's before.they are great cars when they run.a few things to check before buying
Rust is a big issue
Hydrolics can be the biggest nightmares,luckily Sm World in Valencia can help you with that,but its not cheap.Suspension overhaul can run you up to 4k.
Another issue is the timing chain on the maserati engine.They dont make it anymore but its interchangeable from a mercedes.
Id like to point that out if you do not know how to work on sm's you better walk away.this innocent project can turn into a nightmare.
Lets see the facts.He just bought it and re-sells it,stating that it doesnt run.No further info is given why.
Think about it ,if it would be an easy fix he wouldve done it and sell it for 10k+ .thats what theg go for.
Im sorry but this is just a lame flipper story.
Dead giveaway signs no phone number,license plate censored,to many photos and a small novel for description,but wait it doesnt even run.
The Nonchalant guy