The Citroën SM Story
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- Опубліковано 4 сер 2019
- Citroën in many ways were like the Tesla of the 1950’s and 60’s. Where other car manufacturers were making normal, everyday cars, Citroën were ripping up the rulebooks and reinventing just what a car could be in their own mad, Gallic way. Their approach to almost every aspect of the car was unique, new, and, well, Citroën-esque. And it’s not like different meant “wrong”. The Citroën SM introduced innovative features such as self-centering steering and rain-sensing wipers years before they became mainstream. So, with a pedigree like this, why aren’t we all driving around in Citroën’s today? Why did the SM only sell 13,000 cars before taking Citroën into bankruptcy?
BTW, kudos to Citroën for featuring a woman driving their car fast in 1970. Not something you see even today in car adverts!
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#bigcar #CitroënSM #CitroenSM - Авто та транспорт
The Citroëns are not just cars. They are pieces of modern art.
I recall just weeks ago around Altrincham in Manchester while travelling to Flixton near the Trafford Centre - I saw one of these rare cars also travelling on the motorway !! - wasn't really out of place at all except for its very different appearance but would always fit into any era !!
junk!!
@@harapaki3412you know nothing about cars it’s plain to see
Your reviews are now setting the standard in retro car reviews. Plus the sense of humour is appreciated.
In my humble opinion, this is the best factual car channel on UA-cam.
FACTS!
Utterly agree.
Spot on 👍👍👍👍👍
This car was s reali nightmare gor mechanics.
My father was an expert mechanic he hated them they had 37 hoses going to the engine. He had to number them to keep them straight.
The DS is a glorious car. The headlights looked intimidating when I was a kid.
Um... OK... that "speed feel" bit will give me nightmares for months!
HAHAHAHAHA
The Citroën SM was way ahead of its time for looks, so futuristic as it was its a shame it wasn't the seller it could've been
I remember my parents saw this launched at the UK motorshow (guessing around 1970/71) and going on the waiting list for one. They pulled out after a few month I think because of the waiting list. Was a truly fabulous car. I've always liked Citroen's avant guard approach.
I enjoyed your video. My father brought one over from France in the early 70's. He loved driving his SM. As a kid I loved the sound of the maserati engine. We still have this car in the family today and every now and then I will take the Cadillac of France out for a joy ride.
en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antoine_de_la_Mothe_Cadillac
Just additional information 🙂
@@froggywoogie There was a 1951 U.S. Postage stamp (Scott 1000) that bore an image captioned _The Landing of Cadillac at Detroit 1701 - 1951_ .
Please don´t compare the SM with a Cadillac! The SM is far ahead!
Another fabulous Video ! It brings back Memories
While studying in Boston in the early 90s,. I came across an add regarding 2 Citroen SM for sale in Framingham.
I went there to eye ball them -- the cars were impecable, bodyewse. No rust at all, the interiores were fantastic
Just to clear the garage, I could have bought them for a song.
Due to a Health Problem, the Gentleman had stopped the cars' restauration -- he used to be a Mechanic with the US AIR FORCE.
UNFORTUNATELY, he passed away a few weeks later , the house was put in the Market and I was given a period of time to close the deal and remove the vehicles.
Unable to find a qualified Mechanic , I received my downpayment back.
The vehicles were sold to a dealer located in California - the Dealership is still around selling great cars, namely DE 21s.
1.000 Thanks for this great video.
I worked on Citroens in the early 70's, the SM was amazing, fast, silent, strong, I'd even consider owning one today.
i love this car. highly underrated, truly out of its time.
like NSU Ro80, that too was ahead of it's time
@@tonyb9735 LOL nothing exceptional in this car, and the worst, an unreliable engine which causes a lot of breakdowns at barely 25,000 km! next to the SM, it's a low-end Fiat 500 LOL
Owned both '72 and '73 SM automobiles , one , a 5 speed with the other the automatic in the US .
BOTH enjoyable to drive with an unbelievably tight turning radius . Dad , at one point in our lives , was a Citroen (DS) Salesman and would delight patrons of our local Drive-in theater when he would lower and then completely Retract the suspension, leaving the car "high centered" and able to rock on the viewing hills !
Grandfather came to visit in his new Ford . Dad drove him in the Citroen when Grandfather saw some large quartz rocks that "would look great in" his garden . As Dad dutifully loaded stones into the Citroen , he reminded grandfather of the self leveling suspension....Needless to say, the load was far too much for the Ford and WE had some nice quartz rocks !
THANK YOU for your fine Production , information and memories .
Really appreciate the effort you put into these videos. You can see how much time must go into the research and editing. All in all, it makes for a very professional production. Well done!
Oooh.well done
The most beautiful lines on any car. Ever. The SM still looks futuristic today.
It does indeed. And way more attractive than today's cars. It's a damned shame that it wasn't a huge seller for the USA market.
@Uncle Joe Stalin I agree. The Jaguar XJ6, while attractive itself, isn't quite as attractive (I don't think) as the Citroen SM and DS.
@Uncle Joe Stalin I agree. It is. :)
Purity and real attention to detail whilst keeping it simple ! They probably just werent prepared to mess the look up by puting bumpers on it for US regulations
@@BEATNIKMACHINE I'm sure. While I appreciate being able to protect the car from parking bumps, etc., unless it's done right, the "US reg bumpers" would make most any car look hideous. So it's probably just as well that the car didn't stay on the US market for very long.
Love these cars! Thanks for covering them! I knew about the hydraulic ride, but never knew they pioneered rain-sensing wipers. Thanks for going the extra step to explain how they work!
Finally got to see one in person today, albeit in a pretty neglected condition. Surprisingly wide, and probably the most nicely designed dash I’ve ever seen.
Great video I was a mechanic working on these cars when they arrived in the uk they were a nightmare to service and repair the biggest fault being if you damaged a hydraulic pipe you had no steering or suspension or brakes oh the horror of recovering one of these will haunt me forever thanks for the memories of when blokes like me were mechanics and not technicians who today would not know where to start I subscribed look forward to more mechanical memories and mayhem regards david
My late father's SM was a '74, and I can personally confirm it would do 140+mph on the straight past the potato fields of eastern Long Island. It did have the Americanized headlights for import into the US, so it did not have the swiveling headlights or the yellow low-beam fog lights. Dad managed to keep the original beams on his '71 DS because he bought it in Lyon and had it shipped over. Dad was a mad man in that way, could not stop buying French cars.
Jay Leno, btw, has a great video where he drives and reviews his personal '72 SM. Check it out.
l like your calm and relax way of talking man! Your channel will grow soon.. All the best, and keep it coming.
@MIKE J
Exactly. Most of the US derived YT auto review channels have that stupid sophomoric humor angle and it is annoying and stupid.
"It was that good". Citroen was always far ahead of Rolls-Royce in all technical aspects.
Rolls Royce use Citroën hydraupneumatic suspension (buy the rights and technical support) in the Silver shadow and Silver spirit, in the same time did Mercedes Benz copy the system (MB SEL450 6.9L), but never reach the same efficiency...
@@leneanderthalien Yes RR did not use those citroen green spheres in their version and powered the system off its central camshaft.
If you type in Wikipedia Self-levelling suspension you also get this:
"...In 1966, Rolls-Royce licensed Citroën's hydropneumatic system to fit
to the rear axle of the Silver Shadow. At first, both the front and
rear of the car were controlled by the leveling system; the front
levelling was deleted in 1969 as it had been determined that the rear
levelling did almost all the work. Rolls-Royce achieved a high degree of
ride quality with this arrangement. ..."
For the rest google Rolls Royce. :)
It's important to stress the word 'was'. Citroen has not invested a cent in development since 1980s. All boring fwd cars with not a single outstamding feature, except for 60 years old suspension.
@@piotrmalewski8178 size 1975 is Citroën, property of Peugeot...And it's you choice to say "boring frontwheel drive cars": before all electronic safety systems was powerfull rear wheel drive DANGEROUS on slipery surfaces...even today, MANY sporstcars did crash because out of control, the driver did deactivated the safety systems (ESP, etc...), front drive are natural safety and not need electronics to be controlable...
I'm lucky enough to have driven a SM numerous times I'm amazed they sold any, it's so different to anything else utterly brilliant but a complete culture shock for anyone driving the typical 70's vehicle, great content.
I remember these as a child. Never knew so few were actually made ! Another excellent car history , thanks 👍👍👍
Good work. Thanks. These are surely the best car review documentaries available.
By far the most comprehensive overview of the most futuristic production car of the 20th Century.
Speed feel and magic body control - who would have thought of such genius advertisement moves
I had a 1978 2.4 l EFI 5 speed CX Prestige with the SM self return speed sensitive steering (2.5 turns lock to lock). Magnificent touring car in both Europe and back home in Australia. It had the high pressure brake valve controlled by a pedal instead of the mushroom button of the DS & SM. Even more comfortable and roomy than the SM plus a large boot. The 2.5 l EFI turbo really made the Prestige and smaller CX GTI perform - better than the 2.7 litre V6 SM. Rust was the big killer of the CX.
At the other end of the performance and sophistication spectrum I also bought a 2CV6 in 1978. Then another in 1982 and my third in late 1989 - now covered 280,000 kms. Vive La Difference!
Diravi works great for cruisers but I can see how people didn't like it for a sports car. My cx rusted away too :(
What a true shame this gorgeous forward-thinking car wasn't more of a success. It is a truly beautiful car with a ton of fascinating features (especially for its time) and I bet if I had been alive during the time, I would have lusted after one. Citroën really was the Tesla of the 1960s and 70s, and that's a good thing. Gotta love quirky cars👍
I only found this channel last week and I have watched all of your videos all ready keep up the good work bro
My all time favorite car design. I love the way that Citroen used to go about car design, as if they'd never seen one before, and it was an all new invention. I would love to have one of these, perhaps powered by a modern 60 degree v6, with the manual. Everything else just as batshit crazy as they built it originally.
Maybe I'll hit the lottery and it'll happen, but if not, there's always the car chase in the beginning of "The Longest Yard"....
My bride of 32 years says this is an "Automobile" (in a loving very respectful way) - not a "car". She liked our CX but says the SM is sex on wheels!
Beautiful looking car! My nan had a DS many years ago and I had a 2cv, love their looks and quirkiness. Also love your videos man they’re really interesting and loving seeing a new one in my notifications keep it up!
Very good presentation of The Citroën SM story. I've never owned a SM myself, but today I have in my posession a couple of CX's, one BX and one XM. Great and interesting autos, these classic Citroëns are. Super channel you have here. Thx.
there is a cx for sale i my area,,how is the car for repairs?
@@joeenglert dont testride it ... if you do ... you dont care about maintanance :-) ... i dont know about parts in the us .. but europe is oke .. the thing is citroen has special tools for some parts . So sometimes you have to improvice and make your own tool .. good luck ! ... just look around and see if there are more french cars in your neighbourhood .. with good care they ll go for ages
Thank you for an informative and easy to watch video, also thank you for NOT putting any irritating and unnecessary music behind your speaking. Very rare!
I've only seen one in person.
Yet another amazing video, such insight and delivered in your usual way 😉. Thank you Mr. Bigcar!
This is a car I always liked the look of. The nearest I got to driving one was in the early 80s when the TV facility I worked for bought a CX 2400 Safari for our location crew. It was huge and could carry 4 crew, all their luggage plus the camera, sound and lighting kits easily. It had the 2.4 injected engine with 3 speed C-matic. It took a bit of getting used to, with all the usual Citroen eccentricities! The turn signals were operated by a big rocker switch on top of the dash! The gearbox had a torque converter, and a 3-speed box, and an electric clutch! You could put it in top gear and accelerate away slowly and smoothly. Ideal for a camera car. When fitted with the heavy duty roof rack, you could put a big TV camera with its mounting & the camera operate on top and the suspension would keep it all level even at 40 mph. We did a horse race once at a track where the road alongside was not at all smooth. We had no trouble keeping up with the horses, and keeping the camera steady. All this was due to the work done on the SM. Another thing like the SM was the brake "pedal"! It was also very long and I was the only one who drove it who didn't ding one of the corners.
I saw one at a servo in Germany recently.. It made me stop still for a few moments and just stare. It oozed class and filled me with longing to own one.
Great vlog as always! I tried to find the price of the SM in Norway. No luck. It was just as insane here as in the rest of Europe and U.K. The total no. of SM sold from 1970-1976 was 4!
As always, a very informative video on one of my favourite cars. It is tragic that Citroen of today is no longer innovative with its cars.
Of all the videos you've made, this is my favorite. Probably because the Citroen SM has always been a dream car for me. Thanks for your output.
How many times can I like this?
Awesome video thanks. It strikes a refreshing balance between sufficient acknowledgment of the revolutionary features, and the rose tinted love affair that has seduced many an owner to put up with far more idiosyncrasies than would be tolerated towards any other brand of the time.
Fantastic cars. I have only sat in an SM, but I was the fortunate keeper of a 1973 DS23 Pallas for enough time to lose my heart and a ton of money on it.
And I would do it again 🙂
As an Australian I really appreciate your videos of European vehicles.
Cheers mate 🍻
Love my SM (I recently drove it for an 8 hour journey and got out at the end completely relaxed)... also had 6 DSs (2 Safaris), 2 IDs over many years...
Another great video. I love your Sinclair Spectrum shirt. That was my very first computer. The SM was one I never had the chance to drive. I used to see a fair number of them around Los Angeles considering how few were imported due to our incredibly stupid laws of the time. It was always a car that actors, musicians, and assorted "odd" people drove. I thought it was such an innovative car that I just wanted to take one for a test drive. There was only one dealer within 50 miles of me. I showed up there shortly after the first ones went on sale in 1972. After looking over the one SM in the showroom. I screwed up my courage and asked if I could take a test drive. The very French salesman looked down his nose at me, sniffed slightly, and informed me that the entire first year's inventory was already sold, but I could put down a deposit of $500 if I want to reserve a 1973 model. He said they didn't solicit the business of those who felt they needed a test drive before they decided to buy. The fact I drove up in a four door 1970 Toyota Corona Mark II probably didn't help matters, so I slunk my way out. So this is one that got away, but I've always had a soft spot in my heart for this innovative but weird looking car.
If companies treat me like that, I tend to not buy from them... I don't understand why people flock to something the more "exclusive" it is. I'll decide if it's something I like, not you.
@@BigCar2 I never spent any more time trying to hunt up an SM, so I had already decided that Citroen was off my list. I've wondered what that salesman did for a living after 1973. I don't know why the SM became such an in car among the glitterati considering all the problems the car turned out to have. The early 70's was a time that everyone wanted to be "different", and the SM was about as different as you could get. If I remember correctly, the standard 5 speed SM was over $12,000, a whopping sum when those who just wanted luxury could buy a fully equipped Cadillac DeVille for less than $7,500.
Been waiting for this one for a long time. I had the matchbox car in the '70's and'80's
Probably the best explanation of the history of a car maker , well done.
A few years back, in N.E Thailand, I was a passenger whizzing along.
By the roadside, was a Mausoleum like structure.
A brick plinth with a glass window wall and tiled roof.
It contained a DS!
I had no time to get a picture. I have no idea where we were!
Great video, the SM was a great car at the time and with fantastic innovations, thanks for this excellent review , so very well done.
_mmm... SPEED FEEL_
Just started watching your videos and the info and presentation is top notch. Here's to more great videos!
Videos are doing amazing pal! Top quality content
Another brilliant story, worthy of repeat viewing. Great stuff and a beautiful car.
I loved the hydro-pneumatic rear suspension in my old 1984 300TD. Very subtle - I really only knew it was there when carrying heavy loads - the rear end never sagged, nor was the ride affected very much by it!
Another great video, thanks. I'd like to see you do a video on why automatic gears are far more popular in North America than the UK.
Fascinating episode, with an added touch of Alan Partridge! 8-)
My father had this (among other Citroen models) back in the '70s. Loved the ride!
That noise is typical of front bearing failure. The reason it goes away in direct gear is that the side load from driving the cluster gear is taken away. You can also usually hear it come and go a bit when the clutch is pushed in and out in neutral.
As others have said, there are pullers available to remove the front bearing. However...If you would have broken out the metal retainer that keeps the balls spaced out between the races, all the balls can be moved to one side. After that, the inner race can be offset(along with the shaft) to the opposite side and the balls and shaft can be removed. Thanks for posting this, we all have to "live and learn".
PS: Loved you ingenuity in fabricating the makeshift puller. 🦾
The DS Also had self leveling on the main beams.. The brake mushroom came in the DS first. Great video, thanks !
Love my '69 DS 19 Pallas. SM was out of my price range at the time it was supposed to come to Canada but life changed and so did Citroen and US craziness related to their idea of safety.
My GS had the brake mushroom and the hydro suspension. Both were great and trouble free,
Just love these videos !! can't wait for the next one, they are so informative,Thanx...
Another great video. Very well presented and enjoyable. Thank you.
Love your channel! Entertaining and informative!
You do these so well.
The design is increddible. One of the all time best in my opinion.
Thanks for the video.
Great video, many bonus points for the Remington reference.
I remember that my denstist in Montreal was driving and would never stop praising it since this was the most confortable vehicle on the road and so much fun to drive even in the wintery streets of Montreal. The road holding would put to shame most luxury most luxury cars sold in those days.
Luc - The calcium chloride used on icy roads destroyed Citroëns as they were not well rustproofed. I had a Canadian DS21 Pallas that broke in two from rust.
@@algrayson8965 Indeed Citroen did but not the Peugeots. It was so for so many other famous cars like the Jaguars (and most British cars). Now, Citroens resist rust better then Hondas and VW.
Didn't think I could love this channel more than I did but then I saw the ZX Spectrum shirt!
lol -- I chuckled too as my first computer (well kind of a computer) was the ZX. Never had the T shirt though.
Thanks for doing so much real research on all these cars. Very interesting and I have always been fascinated by Citroen
HAHA! I love it, an old power steering system called "Speed Feel" sounds creepy nowadays, then lo and behold we find there's something brand new with an even sillier name like "Magic Body Control"!
Another very enjoyable video. Keep them coming.
I was playing "Jet Set Willy" on a ZX Spectrum - a long time ago... ;-)
That game was so infuriatingly difficult!
Don't forget manic miner 😁
A 1971 DS 21 recently sold at auction here in Australia for $40,000 I would hate to think what a SM in good condition would bring, thanks for the great video Andy
The french built, without a doubt, the best looking, handling and comfortable cars from the 50's through to the 80's. Even their cheap economy cars are so much more comfortable to sit in than a brand new luxury car.
Glam Stachee, having watched lots of Leno Garage eps, I think he has said his Citroen(s) have by far the smoothest rides of any of his fleet of cars.
@@mattkaustickomments Of course. The Citroen hydropneumatic system is the most advanced, safest, most relaible and most comfortable suspension system ever built. It gives the car the real "magic carpet" ride.
It also gives constand ride height, irrespective of load, and also variable road clearances.
They used the Paris streets as their testing ground. If you tried going fast in almost anything, you had to clench your teeth!
@@paullangford8179 I can still imagine the Paris streets being much better roads than 2019 rural eastern european roads. They're giving my 30 year old Peugeot a new challenge.
I had a 1986 Visa 17RD with the reliable 1769 cc Diesel engine. Despite it's uncool looks (especially painted nicotine brown!) it was one of the best cars I've had.
It had comfy seats, was reasonably fast and did 55 MPG (UK) seemingly however fast I drove (it was fairly aerodynamic being a Citroen). I sold it with 178,000 miles on the clock only because I was offered another car by my parents. The panels were very thin but it didn't rust since it had been treated internally (Dino'd?).
These are such beautiful cars. On Friday I took delivery of the new DS3 Crossback.
Enjoy it buddy, such a cool car
Very special car.
My former car was a C5 V6 aut., a super cruiser but with HA3+ suspension a bit firmer than the DS and CX era cars.
Love you rocking the Sinclair ZX Spectrum t-shirt.
The SM was ahead of its time, as usual for Citroën.
Excellent - I had no idea about the cut-down engine - thanks
Great retrocar channel, I watched almost all your uploads in one day, 👍🏼👍🏼
That's a lot! I totaled it up recently that I've done several hours of videos. That's a lot of my voice to listen to!
Big Car you have a pleasant voice 😉
Interesting summary of Citroën SM, but there is a couple of things I need to point out here.
The headlamps weren't banned due to the movable design. The US regulations in the early 1970s allowed only round headlamps in two sizes (either two large 7" and four smaller 5.25"). The US headlamps have different output pattern with higher "blotchy" output while ECE required the sharp horizontial cutoff with bit of kick-up toward the right. The US headlamps must be be hermetically sealed while ECE allowed the removable lens and bulbs. Lastly, the US regulations didn't allow the clear glass or plastic cover in front of headlamps (Datsun 240Z and Jaguar E-Type for the US market had the clear cover removed).
Maserati V6 engine had one serious design flaw: no timing chain tensioners! Over the time, the timing chain would stretch to the point that it could jump one cog tooth while the engine was running at higher speed. When that happened, the engine got dynamited, necessiating the expensive rebuild or replacement.
Thanks for the additional info!
I have a 1983 supra and I know you're a fan from one of your other sweet videos. Gr8 work and gr8 humor. Too funny. Thank you.
Do also make the music too? 🥁 🎶🎵 🎸...my drumkit fits in the supra also. Awesome car. The groove on your lead logo slide is tight. Yank 🇺🇸 for 👍 =)
This was very interesting. I always wondered about these cars. Amazing how forward thinking they where
I have the related CX and also a Austin Morris Princess. It would be great to see the Princess story.
I saw one of these for the first time a view months ago while staying in hackney. Each time I walked past it I thought it looked amazing.
The styling is definitely before it's time and the interior was space age..
I thought it would make a fabulous EV conversion..
This is amazing, 341 likes and not a single dislike. Love the content.
:-) Give it time...
A week's a long time in UA-camland... 39 ppl couldn't find the "Like" button (sigh...)
Excellent and thorough history of the SM.
Futuristic looking cars back then that still didn’t look anything as crass as modern cars.
The brake pedal travel was to shorten the reaction time. And it's shape allowed the driver to slide down from the accelarator in a flowing arc.
The overall brake system was way ahead of american and european cars...
The brake button travel was actually increased over the 1956 DS. All later Ds and IDs, then the SM, with the button pedal used a hollow rubber "mushroom" to squash a little bit and reduce sensitivity to sudden deceleration and judder.
My favorite when I was a kid 😀❤️
Very well done, Informative. I saw my first SM in Mexico of all places. :)
I had DIRAVI in the Citroen CX and it was magical.
Your research is commandable ! Congratulations.
Still stunning!Crazy like Citroens used to be!
One of my favourite cars of all time😁
Thank you for your excellent videos ! And it's lovely when you speak french for the Diravi system ! ;) Vive Citroën !
My French is so bad that I've had French people ask me to speak English because they don't understand me!
I've heard of the Citroen SM. Beautiful looking car. Great ideas.
Your videos are excellent. Many thanks👍
Wonderful documentary !
Another great video. The SM was something else.
I've just signed up for your Patreon; thank you for making thoughtful and informative videos about cars to which I can relate
Thank you Tanya! I’ll send you a message through Patreon when I get close to a PC.
@@BigCar2 Yay!! :-)
God I wish I was alive for this era of Citroën being new. I'd love an old school 70's DM
I collect Matchbox cars and enjoy reading and hearing about the real cars the model was based off. Your channel has many of these including this one so thank you.
Loving the Spectrum T-Shirt.
:-)
Always very informative. Thank you. SM great car, but wrong time.
Wrong time? How so?
@@jasoncarpp7742 ahead of its time with innovations not one was ready to use.
@@robertwestinghouse4098 It's possible. The thing that's never made sense to me was that these French cars were imported into the USA without a comprehensive service network to properly maintain them. VW provided a comprehensive service network as far back as the 1950s, Mercedes-Benz around the same time, the Japanese provided a dealer and service network around the 1960s. Why the hell not the French? Citroen, Renault, Peugeot, etc. We'd probably still be seeing French cars in North America today if that were the case.
@@jasoncarpp7742 Great point, sad but true. We live in Orange Australia. The local mechanics in 2013 told me that my 1995 Volvo 960 Estate was an exotic car and could not be fixed. The Volvo dealer said take the car to Sydney 400km away...so we sold it and bought a 2005 Toyota Camry - they can fix it here. My 1982 Porsche 928 has to go to Sydney as they just shake their heads. Yeah I am old car mad....
@@robertwestinghouse4098 I've never understood why that is. The French may build good cars, but it doesn't do you any bloody good if you cannot get it serviced at your local mechanic's shoppe because parts are so scarce.