CITROEN’S MASERATIENGINED SUPERCAR

Brian Long and Philippe Claverol

First published 2006, reprinted 2017 by Veloce, which supplied the review copy ISBN 978-1-787111-25-7 UK publisher Veloce is producing a number of its earlier books in its Classic Reprint Series. This is a good example.

As always with Brian Long’s books, he starts with a useful history of Citroën, from the company’s financial problems to the ground-breaking DS of 1955. Later came the takeover of Maserati, which formed the basis of the SM, a fascinating and technologically advanced car. Unfortunately, it did not achieve what its joint manufacturers had hoped, but it was a pretty amazing automobile in many ways. The Maserati-developed V6 was machined from a single light-alloy casting, the body was somewhat unusual-looking but aerodynamic, and hydraulics featured as a key part of many of its operations.

The SM was launched at the Geneva Motor Show in 1970. A lengthy press pack is included in the book, giving a very detailed understanding of all aspects of the car; however, its text is all in French … Other documents are also reproduced throughout the book, including a 14-page sales catalogue from 1972.

Long and Claverol then cover the car’s impact on various markets — there were high hopes for the US — and its subsequent development. They quote a large number of road tests from various magazines, most of which were favourable, while sometimes acknowledging that Citroëns were ‘different’. As an example, Motor Trend in the US voted the SM as its Luxury Car of the Year in December 1971.

The SM’S limited competition career is covered (Howden Ganley co-drove one in the 1973 Tour of Britain!) and there is a chapter on specials bodied by companies such as Heuliez and Chapron.

Although well-regarded, the SM was an expensive car, especially as items like air con, radio, and fog lights were options. It was the type of car seriously affected by the oil shocks in the 1970s, and the liquidation of Maserati by Citroën sounded the model’s death knell in ’75 after fewer than 13,000 cars had been made.