It's 1971, I'm cruising along the A6 motorway in my Peugeot 204 when suddenly... VRROOOOOM ! A silver shape passes me as if I were standing still. Pivoting headlights, a body line I'd never seen before, and that sound... damn, that sound! By the time I realize what just happened, the automotive UFO has already disappeared over the horizon. What I had just crossed paths with was this: a Citroën SM, the most daring of French cars, the one that would revolutionize European grand touring with a closely guarded secret under its hood.

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But before I tell you this story of Franco-Italian madness, I have to confess something. I, Bernard, have always had a weakness for these cars that have marked history with their audacity. Cars that were unlike anything else , that shook up the codes, that made an entire generation dream. And believe me, the SM is exactly that: a car that should never have existed, but which nevertheless came close to revolutionizing the global automotive industry.

The impossible union: when Citroën marries Maserati

To understand this story, we have to go back to 1968. Pierre Bercot, Citroën's CEO, had a vision : to finally create a luxury French grand tourer. Back then, if you wanted a fast and refined French car, you were in trouble. Facel Vega had gone bankrupt a few years earlier, and the DS, despite all its modernity, remained a family sedan.

Bercot looks at what's happening abroad: the Italians with their Ferraris and Maseratis, the Germans with their Porsches, the English with their Jaguars. And us, the French? Nothing. So this man, who had already dared to launch the revolutionary DS fifteen years earlier, decides to strike a major blow.

On May 1, 1968—yes, right at the time of the events of May '68, as if the timing wasn't complicated enough— Citroën bought Maserati . Picture the scene: while Paris was ablaze, Bercot discreetly signed the deed that would give birth to one of the most extraordinary cars ever produced.

But beware, this isn't just a financial takeover. It's a true technological alliance. On one side, you have Citroën with its revolutionary hydropneumatic suspension and cutting-edge power steering. On the other, Maserati and its expertise in high-performance engines. A marriage of French sophistication and Italian passion .

The man who will change everything: Giulio Alfieri

And this is where a character who is absolutely central to this story comes into play: Giulio Alfieri . This brilliant Italian engineer, head of the Maserati design office since 1953, had already designed marvels such as Fangio's 250F and the Ghibli. Bercot ordered a special engine from him for his "Super DS" project.

But hold on tight, because this is where things get completely crazy. Alfieri has only two months to design this engine! Two months to create the heart of what will become the SM. So what does he do? He takes the Indy V8, and... he removes two cylinders!

No, seriously, that's exactly what happened. Well, not really. In reality, Alfieri will start from scratch to design an all-new 90° V6, but the basic idea was exactly that: adapt Maserati power to French needs.

Robert Opron and the aesthetic revolution

While Alfieri was tearing his hair out over his engine, another genius was working on his side: Robert Opron . This designer, who had already designed the magnificent Ami 8 - yes, I know, put like that, it's less impressive - would create an absolutely revolutionary body for the SM.

Opron is the guy who sees the automobile as an art. For the SM, he designs a perfect water drop , a shape that seems carved in the wind. The drag coefficient? 0.339! At the time, that was unheard of. To give you an idea, a Porsche 911 from the same era has a drag coefficient of 0.42.

And then there's this detail that's going to cause a sensation: the retractable, adjustable headlights . These headlights follow the direction! You turn right, the headlights pivot right. It's pure science fiction for the time. The first time I saw it in action, I admit I got chills.

But the best part is that Opron doesn't just look pretty. This line has a function: to allow the SM to reach a top speed of 220 km/h . An astronomical speed for a front-wheel drive car!

Technology at the service of madness

Because yes, I haven't told you yet, but the SM is a front-wheel drive! Imagine: a car that exceeds 200 km/h with the front wheels pulling. In 1970, that was pure madness. The engineers at Ferrari or Lamborghini must have thought we had gone completely crazy.

But Citroën has mastered the art. The self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension ensures exceptional handling, even at high speeds. And then there's the famous DIRAVI steering - Direction Rapidité Variable - which adapts to your speed. The faster you go, the less responsive the steering becomes. Great for stability on the motorway .

I remember a review I read in L'Automobile Magazine at the time. The journalist wrote: "At 200 km/h, the SM flies like it's on rails. You feel like you're piloting a fighter jet rather than a car." And frankly, when you know the reputation for stability of Citroëns of the time, you can believe it.

1970: The Year of All Dreams

On March 15, 1970, at the Geneva Motor Show, Citroën finally unveiled its SM . And it was a total shock. Visitors crowded around the stand, photographers snapped away, competitors took secret notes. This car was unlike anything else out there.

On the outside, it's a moving sculpture. On the inside, it's a spaceship. A revolutionary dashboard with all the indicators grouped in a single block facing the driver, plush seats like living room armchairs, and that feeling of being at the helm of something exceptional.

And then there's that sound . Ah, that sound! The Maserati V6, even when limited to 170 horsepower for reliability reasons, produces a melody that anyone who has heard it will never forget. A blend of Italian rumble and French sophistication.

The first deliveries began in the fall of 1970. Selling price: 38,000 francs . To give you an idea, at the time, a DS 21 cost 19,000 francs. The SM is therefore twice the price of a DS, no less!

Immediate critical success

But you know what? It doesn't scare anyone. The global automotive press goes wild. In 1971, the SM came third in the European Car of the Year competition . Not bad for a first attempt at grand touring!

And then, a bolt from the blue in 1972: in the United States, Motor Trend awarded the SM the title of "Car of the Year" ! A Citroën that became American car of the year, I swear no one saw it coming.

America, let's talk about it. There, the SM caused a sensation. Americans discovered this French technology they hadn't known: hydropneumatic suspension, cutting-edge power steering, this ability to devour highway miles in royal comfort. In 1973, nearly 3,000 SMs were sold in the United States .

But hey, you know the rest of the story with my videos... when things are going too well, something is going to go wrong.

The Hidden Secrets of "Her Majesty"

Oh, by the way, you're probably wondering where the name "SM" comes from? It's a complete mystery ! Officially, no one knows. Some say "Sports Maserati," others "Maserati Series," and still others "Maserati System."

But I have my favorite theory, and it's magnificent: "Her Majesty." Like the DS, which was nicknamed "The Goddess," the SM could have been "Her Majesty." And frankly, when you see this car, the nickname fits it like a glove.

Speaking of secrets, there's one that few people know about. Did you know that the National Gendarmerie used SMs? Five electronically injected SMs were ordered in late 1972 for highway control and official travel security.

Imagine the scene: you're driving along the motorway at 140 km/h (the speed limit didn't exist yet), and you see a police SM approaching in your rearview mirror! With its top speed of 228 km/h and exceptional road holding, there's no chance of escaping it.

I always thought it was great that our police had the most beautiful cars in the world. Back then, French prestige was no laughing matter!

Alfieri's Secret V8

But the SM's greatest secret is this: Alfieri had developed a prototype of a 260-horsepower 4.0-liter V8 ! This version was tested over 12,000 kilometers, proving that the SM's chassis could easily handle 50% more power.

Alfieri kept this unique SM V8 as his personal car after De Tomaso bought Maserati. I wonder what happened to it... It would have been something, an SM with a V8! The fastest car in Europe , without a doubt.

But let's get back to our story, because things are about to start going wrong.

The fall of "Her Majesty"

1973 arrived, and with it, a series of disasters that would sound the death knell for the SM. First, the oil crisis . From one day to the next, gasoline became unaffordable, and people no longer wanted gas-guzzling cars. The SM, with its 14 liters per 100, was scary.

But contrary to popular belief, that's not what killed the SM. No, the real coup de grace came from elsewhere: the United States and its new bumper standards .

In 1974, the American government imposed new safety standards. Bumpers had to withstand an impact at 8 km/h without damage. For the SM, with its pure, aerodynamic lines, this was impossible to integrate without distorting everything.

The result? Loss of the American market overnight . And that's dramatic, because the United States accounted for a significant portion of sales. The figures speak for themselves: from 2,649 SMs manufactured in 1973, the figure fell to 294 in 1974.

And then there's another issue that's less talked about: the reliability of the Maserati engine . Alfieri did a good job, but developing an engine in two months inevitably leaves some flaws. The first SMs had problems with the timing chain, the water pump, the carburetor, etc.

I have a collector friend who once said to me: "Bernard, the SM is the most beautiful car in the world... when it works!" And unfortunately, this reputation for fragility will stick to the SM.

The SM was the most extraordinary car of its time—a concentration of French technology combined with Italian passion to create a unique grand tourer. This collaboration between Citroën and Maserati, orchestrated by visionaries like Pierre Bercot and geniuses like Giulio Alfieri and Robert Opron, had given birth to an exceptional automobile.

I've always sold exceptional miniature cars from this era on my website BernardMiniatures.fr - models that marked automotive history between the 50s and 90s. These small 1/43 scale cars have been my passion for years. I have more than 1500 miniatures in stock, mainly from this great era of French automobiles. Since I'm not a big site, I often only have one or two pieces of each model, but that's precisely what makes it charming. And of course, I have some beautiful SMs in my collection that are definitely worth a look.

Shipping is free for orders over €75 in France, and I always make sure to wrap these little treasures well with bubble wrap. Check out bernardminiatures.fr if you're so inclined!

But let's get back to the epilogue of our SM, because the story isn't quite over.

Production shutdown and legacy

On July 25, 1975, the last SM rolled off the assembly line at the Javel factory . In total, only 12,920 units were produced in five years. A commercial failure, that's undeniable. But what a magnificent failure!

Because you see, the SM didn't die for nothing. Its technology will survive and inspire what comes next. The DIRAVI steering? It will equip the Citroën CX, which replaces the DS. The Maserati V6? It will bring glory to the Merak and later to the Biturbo.

And then there is this intangible heritage, this proof that French industry was capable of creating exceptional cars. The SM is a bit like our automotive Concorde: a crazy project, perhaps irrational, but which proves that we knew how to dream big .

The legacy of an era of audacity

Today, when I come across an SM on the road - it still happens, and every time it's a small miracle - I tell myself that we don't know how to do that anymore. This audacity, this ability to reinvent the automobile , to shake up all the established codes.

The SM is the symbol of an era when we still believed that technical progress would revolutionize our lives. When we dared crazy industrial bets. A time when we preferred to fail by attempting the impossible rather than succeed in mediocrity .

Pierre Bercot said: "Citroën must maintain its technological edge and continue to amaze the world." With the SM, mission accomplished. This car astonished the world, fascinated an entire generation, and continues to inspire enthusiasts today.

So yes, the SM wasn't a commercial success. Yes, it contributed to Citroën's financial difficulties. But damn, what a technical and aesthetic achievement! This car embodied everything that was best about French automobiles : innovation, audacity, elegance, and the French art of living.

And you know what makes me nostalgic? It's thinking that we'll probably never see that again. A time when a business owner could say, "Hey, what if we bought Maserati to make the most beautiful car in the world?" And do it! Without endless market research, without a timid management committee, just with the desire to create something exceptional .

This is why the Citroën SM remains, for me, one of the finest pages in French automotive history. Not only because it was an extraordinary car—which it undeniably was—but because it represented a certain idea of France: one that dares, one that invents, one that refuses to take the easy way out.

The SM was "Her Majesty" the French automobile at its peak . And that, my friends, is something no amount of market research will ever be able to recreate.