Citroen SM (excerpt of Wikipedia's article)

Prior to its popular BX models, Citroen was famous for its idiosyncratically. The single columnar of its steering wheel, non self cancelling turn lever, turning headlights. And one of car manufacturing pioneer on aerodynamic design, front wheel drive, Hydropneumatic suspension, load sensing braking pressure, speed sensitive and self direction power steering. These were Citroen's features available since late 1960s mass production cars.

This was also the driving reasons for many Citroen fanatic fans around the world today, including me and thousands other in Indonesia during the early 1980s. As a kid I used to play many car toys such as those of Matchbox (does this brand still  around?) and vividly remember the SM miniature toy. There was an unknown knack for this particular toy to be my favourite at the time. Yet I might have had the revelation for its rarerity values! It was exactly in the same colour as this SM (picture from an Aussie Club)

The SM provided a combination of comfort, sharp handling, and high performance not available in any other car at the time. Popular Science noted that the SM had the shortest stopping distance of any car they had tested. To this day this stopping distance remains outstanding.

The look of the car, although easily identifiable as Citroën, is quite distinct, with a shape that even today looks futuristic. Designed in-house by Citroën's chief designer Robert Opron, the SM bears a vague family resemblance to the DS, especially in retaining the latter's rear wheel spats. Seen from above though, the SM resembles a teardrop, with a wide front track tapering to a narrower rear track.

Many of the details reflect Opron's American background, notably the  vestiges of 'fins' at the rear. Opron worked on aircraft body design and aerodynamics while in the USA, and the SM benefited from this experience. It was unusually aerodynamic for its era, with a very low drag coefficient of 0.26. [a picture of rare collection from an Aussie Club]

The SM was one of the first production cars to benefit from extensive wind tunnel testing during its design phase, and as a result aerodynamic efficiency influenced the final design of many details including the shape of the side mirrors, the method of windshield sealing, and the underbelly of the car which featured active aerodynamics, effectively sucking the car to the road at high speed.

European critics marvelled at the resulting ability to travel for hours at 200 km/h (120 mph) in comfort and with impressive fuel economy on the large 90 litre (20 US gal; 17 Imp. gal.) fuel tank.

With its distinctly Art Deco influence, the interior styling of the SM is as dramatic as the exterior. The small oval steering wheel is matched by oval gauges. The manual shift lever 'boot' is a highly stylized chrome gate. The seats are highly adjustable buckets with centre padding composed of many individual 'rolls'. High quality materials are used throughout. The bonnet is aircraft grade aluminum, while the external bright work is stainless steel, rather than ‘cheaper’ chrome (except for "plastichrome" "SM" trim at the rear base of the rain gutter).

The SM's design is timeless; the car was even used in a 1999 television advertisement for British Petroleum of Spain, where 'a futuristic car was required'. It placed eleventh on Automobile Magazine's 2005 "100 Coolest Cars" listing.

In 1970, it was a car of the future and the fastest front-wheel drive car to be made, with a factory quoted top speed of 220 km/h (137 mph), and independent tests achieving as much as 235 km/h (145 mph). It was an example of the car as a symbol of optimism and progressive technology, similar to the SM's contemporary, the Concorde aircraft. The true distinction in speed of the SM is its ability to maintain 200 km/h (125 mph) from one fuel stop to the next. Many other cars will go faster for a dash, but most will not withstand long periods at such speed.

As illustrated under production numbers, SM sales declined starting in 1972. This appears to be attributable to maintenance issues. The early ignition breaker cassettes are very unreliable, and the timing chains cause catastrophic engine failure if not adjusted at 60,000 km, faults that were corrected long after production ceased. The 90 deg engine timing was unfamiliar to mechanics in 1970s.

Most vehicles require only generalist maintenance, where any competent mechanic can properly maintain the vehicle. Certain vehicles, like Citroëns and Ferraris require specialist care due to their unique design. While a sturdy car if maintained rigorously, the SM did require two sets of specialist care - Citroën specialists, which are widespread in Europe, and a rarer Maserati specialist, to keep the engine in tune. Once potential buyers began to realize this, sales dropped precipitously.

Components of the SM lived on - in the Maserati Merak (engine, transmission) and the Lotus Esprit (transmission (both mirror image)). Nissan made a small three-door hatchback in the late 1970s which used many SM styling cues, including the tailgate. The successful Citroën CX carried forward most of the SM's dynamic qualities, including the trendsetting speed sensitive power steering [Courtesy of Wikipedia SM's article]

Arcie's Studded G-string - $ 14.95 Sexy lycra g-string decorated with studs.

I have made no pretentious of admitting re-posting an excerpt article based on Wikipedia's to enhance my relevant articles on "Automotive Technology Milestone" especially to give credit for Citroen Marque and Citroen clubs around the world. Without these enthusiasm of fans in rebuilding and maintaining an exotic model which we are privileged to look at today that would be otherwise. As well as its Wikipedia's contributor for its comprehensive and concise Citroen SM article.

reference and/ relevant past articles;

1. Not My own driving experience but merely net research, and;
2. Wikipedia, Australian and British XM club.
3. My past article on ; Citroen-Hydropneumatic-suspension
4. My-drive, an article on my own driving wheels. Amongst other of driving experience on 1980 Citroen GS Club avant from 1980 - 1984 that I enjoyed to those judder bars and potholed roads. For its eerie flying carpet ride and the memory of driving for miles on one flat tyre without being noticeably aware of.