1970, Cars: Citroën SM

One of the most iconic cars of all time, the Citroën SM, was announced at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1970. It went on sale in France in September of that year. The front-wheel drive SM was based on the Citroën DS with a 2.7 L or 3.0 L V6 Maserati engine with three double Weber carburettors or a Bosch D-Jetronic injection system and a top speed of 228 km/h. The SM was designed by the head of Citroën's design department Robert Opron, the technical design was the work of a group of technicians, led by Jacques Né.

Citroën SM (France)

Citroën SM (France)

The car was featured with some 'traditional' Citroën features, such as the headlights that rotated with the front wheels, the hydropneumatic suspension system with a constant vehicle height and load-dependent braking pressure, and novelties such as the self-centering, speed-dependent power steering (DIRAVI) (Direction à Rappel Asservi - Forced reverse power steering).

Citroën SM (USA)

Citroën SM (USA)

After the 1974 bankruptcy of Citroën, Peugeot took ownership and decided to stop building the SM. A total of 12,920 Citroën SM’s were produced from 1970 to 1975.

Citroën SM (World)

Citroën SM (World)

Brochures:
Citroën SM 1971 USA
Citroën SM 1972 France
Citroën SM 1972 UK
Citroën SM 1973 West Germany
Citroën SM 1973 USA

Citroën SM Promo film (1970, USA)

1967, Cars: Citroën ID/DS

In September 1967 the Citroën ID/DS was restyled by Robert Opron. This was the second facelift for the DS, the first one was in 1962. The front end of the car received four lamps mounted behind transparent glass panels. On the top models the inner pair of lamps swivelled with the steering while the outer pair were linked to the suspension maintaining a constant level beam. The lamps were powered by the car's central hydraulic system.

Citroën ID/DS first nose 1955-1962

Citroën ID/DS second nose 1962-1967

Citroën ID/DS third nose 1967-1975

The original ID/DS was styled by Flaminio Bertoni. The first ID/DS developments go back to 1936 as project VGD (“Voiture à Grande Diffusion” or "mass produced car") as a replacement for the then new “Traction Avant”.

Citroën DS 19 at the Paris motor show (1955)

Citroën DS 19 at the Paris motor show (1955)

Citroën DS 19 at the Paris motor show (1955)

On Thursday 5th October 1955 at 9 o'clock, the new Citroën DS 19 was unveiled at the Paris motor show. Minutes after the unveiling of the car at the Paris salon, dozens were driven out of the factory gates into the Paris traffic. By 09:45 Citroën had taken 749 orders and by the end of the first day 12000.

Citroën DS advert (France, 1968)