1973 Citroen SM

Left-hand drive, 3-litre, carburettor car with a five-speed manual gearbox Only 90,000km. Recently been restored by respected race car preparer, Ric Wood The SD-series Maserati V-6 is fuelled through three 42DCNF Webers and produces around 180bhp Delightfully finished in 'Or de Simiane' (Gold) paintwork with a Havana Brown leather interior Begun in 1961, 'Project S' emerged from CitroÙ n's requirement to develop a sports variant of the revolutionary DS. As was customary for the quirky French firm, many running concept vehicles were developed with increasingly complex and upmarket features to differentiate the 'sports' project from the popular DS. The acquisition of Maserati by CitroÙ n in 1968 was motivated by the possibility of harnessing Maserati's high-performance engine technology to produce a true Grand Tourer, combining the sophisticated CitroÙ n suspension with the power of a Maserati engine. The result was the CitroÙ n SM which took DS technology such as 'Hydropneumatic' self-levelling suspension and powered brakes, threw in a Maserati V6 engine, high-geared self-centring steering, and finished it off with a swooping, highly aerodynamic body that was distinctively CitroÙ n, but also looked very prestigious and expensive. It was solid, well-made and had huge inherent strength. The car was launched to rapturous appreciation at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1970 and went on sale in France in September of that year in left-hand drive only, although right-hand drive conversions were later offered in the UK and Australia. This 1973 SM is a left-hand drive, 3-litre, carburettor car with a five-speed manual gearbox and is one of only 600. The (SD-series) Maserati V-6 is fuelled through three 42DCNF Webers and produces around 180bhp enabling 0-60 in 8.5 secs and a top speed of 140mph, presumably aided by its slippery shape. It has recently been restored by respected race car preparer, Ric Wood, and is now looking splendid in Gold (Or de Simiane) paintwork with a Havana leather interior. With the odometer reading just over 90,000 km and offered at a sensible guide price, this exciting and rare piece of French exotica is now seeking a new owner. With the benefit of the recent restoration, this well turned out modern classic is eminently usable and is sure to turn heads wherever you go.