It landed in the Stockholm area in May 1971, like a visitor from outer space.
The Citroen SM was - and still is - the most advanced car design to come out of France, a futuristic dream with two doors.
Now, Sweden's first SM is for sale at Bilweb Auctions.
It arrived as a private import, and it took another six months before the Swedish general agent received the first "official" cars. With chassis number 265, it is a very early SM, likely manufactured in the fall of 1970.
There is much evidence that it also served as Teknikens Värld's test car.
It has a clear ownership history and has spent its life in the Stockholm area, but in recent years it has been located on Öland, where the most recent owner had a summer house. It is now being sold by the estate.
This SM is in good condition, professionally repainted in the original gold metallic "Feuille Dorée" and with unexpectedly well-preserved fabric upholstery. At first glance, the seemingly complicated engine bay is also very neat.
However, Bilweb Auctions inspector Peter Sundfeldt recommends that the engine be reviewed by an expert from the Swedish Citroen Club before further driving.
The valve covers read Maserati - an Italian heart in a French suit. The French wanted an extremely compact engine for their SM, no longer than a regular four-cylinder.
And since they bought Maserati in 1967, it became a natural solution to cut two cylinders off the existing Maserati V8 in aluminum, which was used in models like the Mexico and Quattroporte, and install it in the new SM. The result was an engine displacement of 2.7 liters.
With a length of only 31 centimeters, a weight of 140 kilos, and just 90 degrees between the cylinder banks, Citroen got the compact engine package they needed. Three double Weber carburetors contributed to an output of 170 horsepower, which gave the SM a top speed of over 200 km/h, combined with fantastic road handling and comfort.
For a discerning buyer, this is a chance to become part of the exclusive SM world, a connection to another dimension.
Bilweb Auctions has valued the car between 450,000 and 550,000 SEK.
