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Topic starter
19/06/2020 10:55 am
PIC: Citroen SM (Maserati)
photo no longer available
The SM was a great car to drive when the engine worked and it was fast. It also had self centering steering that took a lot of getting used to but I liked it.
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
photo no longer available
The SM was a good for the most part car but it had a lot of engine problem and it was expensive to keep up.
The engine is set in backwards. The alt., AC and pump for the hydraulics was driven by a shaft from the rear of the engine. The green parts are the suspension and pump.
19/06/2020 1:40 pm
Well the interior sure looks inviting. I'm not so sure the ww's work here.
19/06/2020 2:36 pm
The same car with a supercharged American V8 may have been a more sensible engine choice rather than installing an example of expensive, difficult to maintain, European automotive trickery.
Not so enamored of the body design, but the interior is very livable in that Englush gentleman's, or high end cat house kind of way.
19/06/2020 3:38 pm
+1
20/06/2020 12:43 am
SM - the great misfit!...
The SM was an enigma. Citroen aficionados didn't like it because of the Maserati engine and Maserati fans didn't like it because it was a Citroen! Between such diversity was a fabulous car. Unfortunately there were very few Maserati agencies in Europe and I suspect virtually none in the USA. A friend of mine had one and I had a ride in it. His way of showing his cars off was to scare the living daylights out of his passengers and he succeeded with me. That Maser growl from a Citroen body was totally alien but it was wonderful. I'd have one today in a heartbeat but unfortunately there is no Maserati specialist near me. For this reason I'd sacrifice speed and for half the price have a D. This was the same view most buyers took in 1972.
20/06/2020 6:28 am
You're obviously a braver man than me Frank!...
mind you, if Gareth Jones, the chap I was talking about, gave you a ride in his you may be persuaded! I guess the fact it was a narrow, though straight country road and I was sitting on the right with no steering wheel as it was LHD didn't help!
20/06/2020 7:05 am
I hdd the chance to ride in one. You're right, the power did not impress.
But, then, Citroens have never been about power but finesse. As the2CV demonstrates, there can be more fun driving a slower car at its limits than can be had with a much more powerful car at half its potential.
John Kuvakas
Warrenton, VA