The Fabulous DS SM Tribute Revives The Iconic Citroën-Maserati-built Grand Tourer

Italians are always fabled for their flair in design, but the French know how to pen a sexy-looking car just as well. Just think of manufacturers like Delahaye, Alpine, Bugatti, Peugeot and Renault, who all made their mark on car design at some point during their existence. One of the most prolific car manufacturers from France though, known for its often quirky but very appealing designs, is Citroën. The brand legacy includes icons such as the Traction Avant, the 2CV and Mehari, the HY (a personal favourite!) and of course the DS. However, one of the most evocative cars ever made by the French firm, and made in collaboration with Maserati, has to be the SM. Now, roughly half a century after the original, the SM has made a comeback under the premium DS Automobiles brand, in the form of the utterly gorgeous DS SM Tribute concept car. 

Sa Majesté, Her Majesty

The Citroën SM was built between 1970 and 1975, following a whole range of concept and developmental vehicles. The Project S program, which would ultimately lead to the striking grand touring coupé, started way back in 1961 and was intended as a faster and sportier two-door version of the DS. In 1968, following Citroën taking a majority stake in the Italian manufacturer that same year, Maserati got involved in the project. The French firm thought it was a good idea to use Maserati’s high-performance experience to bring the SM into production with a fitting engine and drivetrain. With it, it was to be a rival to GTs by Jaguar, Ferrari, Porsche and the like.

The name, or rather the meaning of the SM abbreviation SM, remains a bit of a mystery. Some say it stands for Systeme Maserati, Sports Maserati or Serié Maserati. Others claim it means Sa Majesté, or Her Majesty, which would make sense since the Citroën DS before it was affectionately known as La Déesse, or The Goddess. I for one, feel Sa Majesté, Her Majesty is a perfect way to describe the unique elegance of the SM.

At the time of its development and production, France was under strict regulations when it came to luxury cars. Following the Second World War, the French government introduced something called “Puissance Fiscale”, literally translating to “fiscal power”, a form of taxes based on the horsepower of a car. The more power the engine made, the higher the tax rate was. The Citroën Sm was one of the few post-war cars that was aimed squarely at the luxury car segment but did suffer the consequences of this taxation system in terms of engine capacity. A 2.7 litre V6 engine, built by Maserati, put out 170bhp. By 1973 the engine size increased to 3.0 litres, and the output raised to 180 horsepower. When introduced, the SM was the fastest front-wheel drive car on the road, with a top speed of 220kph.

Despite this Italian-French pas-de-deux, the design is very much Citroën and one of the reasons the SM is a bit of a hate-it-or-love-it kind of car. The low-slung body was designed by Robert Opron, Citroën’s chief designer at the time. The most striking features are the glass-covered swivel headlights seamlessly integrated into the nose of the car, the covered rear wheel arches, the famous hydropneumatic suspension and the Kamm tail. With a production spanning five years and just under 13,000 units, the SM was not the success Citroën nor Maserati hoped it would be or needed. In fact, the spiralling cost of the SM’s development and production heavily contributed to Citroën’s bankruptcy in 1974, after which it merged with Peugeot to form the PSA concern in 1976.

DS SM Tribute

Fast forward to 2024 and Citroën now part of the expansive Stellantis Group (which includes Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Dodge, Maserati, Opel/Vauxhall and quite a few others), it’s apparently time for the SM to make a comeback. Sort of at least, as it’s very much a Tribute to the original without plans for production for now. The concept car hints at Citroën’s and DS’ design language for the coming years. Heavily inspired by the original, this new SM Tribute is labelled under the badge of DS Automobiles, Citroën’s offspring premium brand, in part celebrating the 10th anniversary of DS’ Parisian design studio.

If you look at the side-by-side between the 1970s original and the 2024 tribute car, the resemblance is dead-obvious. The nose of the DS SM Tribute features sharply penned diamond-tipped headlight clusters integrated into the glass-covered grill section. The original SM had headlights that moved in conjunction with the steering angle, beaming light into the corner for better visibility. Sadly, DS Automobiles doesn’t mention if this DS SM Tribute has a similar system, but the tech is very much available so it should in my opinion.

Moving down the side, the resemblance continues with that low-slung stance. The two-tone paint helps to emphasize that characteristic ‘SM’ look down the length of the body. It lacks any type of door handles and only comes with minute side mirrors (most likely cameras connected to screens in the interior) for a clean-as-can profile. Even the rear wheel cover is there, albeit with an additional cutout showing the top of the tyre. This is also where the tail lights start, which follow a crease in the rear quarter panel and continue into the rear section. Even the cut-off Kamm-style tail has been kept, although with a more contemporary style.  Really, the biggest change might just be the 22-inch wheels, whereas the original SM rode on 15-inch steel wheels with covers.

On the inside, the retro-inspired feast continues, although no official images are released (only sketches and renderings). The interior features similar bucket seats finished with individual ‘rolls’ from top to bottom. The steering wheel, with a single spoke in the original SM, has been replaced by a yoke-like system with a central screen. And just as the original, it’s a proper four-seater so there’s room in the back for two people, although they might have to hunch down a little. For the rest, it’s modernity all around, with multiple touch-sensitive screens and controls. The waterfall-like centre console shows the controls for the parking brake and transmission, neatly flowing into the armrest that runs from the front of the cabin to the rear.

There’s no word on the engine for the DS SM Tribute, but I hope it will be something in the spirit of the original drivetrain. It would be sad to see such an amazing car glide along with just the buzz of a battery pack and electric motors. Although it would befit the ultra-smooth ride of the SM, thanks to its innovative hydropneumatic suspension system, I feel the DS SM Tribute is deserving of a bit of modern yet good-old engine noise. Cars like this are about emotion after all, and what’s better than getting your spine tingled by the sound and vibrations of a potent V6?

For more information, please visit Stellantis.com.

Editorial Note: The images portrayed in this article are sourced from and used with permission of the Stellantis Group unless stated otherwise.