The Citroën SM Is Back, but With a Different Badge

One of the most iconic cars to wear the fabled double chevron logo, the SM is officially back. Well, sort of. It’s not a Citroën like the original model sold in the first half of the 1970s. Instead, the concept is badged as a DS to celebrate a decade since DS Automobiles became a separate brand under PSA's corporate umbrella. It's been part of Stellantis since early 2021, following the FCA-PSA merger.

The French marque is presenting the SM Tribute, a striking one-off with a retro-futuristic design. DS envisioned the car's appearance as if the SM had remained in production after 1975 and "continued to develop over the past five decades." Instead of a conventional front grille, the original car had a glass panel, which has now been reinterpreted as a 3D screen acting as a light bar. The classic SM had swiveling headlights whereas its modern-day tribute features thin strips of LEDs.

Compared to its source of inspiration, the SM Tribute is 1.1 inches longer and 5.5 inches wider. The ground clearance has been lowered by nearly 1.4 inches for aerodynamic purposes. Instead of tiny 15-inch wheels like its ancestor had, the new concept rides on stately 22-inch alloys with aero covers. The cutout in the rear fender serves as a visual nod to the removable wheel spats of the 1970s car.

There's no word about the vehicle having the groundbreaking hydropneumatic suspension of its predecessor. The door-mounted side mirrors have made way for sleeker cameras installed at the base of the A-pillars for better airflow. Nevertheless, the vehicle's unconventional silhouette and the Gold Leaf paint job harken back to the original.

Although it doesn't have the same wow factor as the original, there’s no denying it looks interesting. Inside, only the curvature of the dashboard and the seats bear some vague resemblance to the old-school SM. Being a concept, the rest of the cabin is predictably screen-heavy, with no visible physical controls. Even the boxy steering "wheel" appears to have its own display, while a so-called "curved screen console" incorporates capacitive-touch keys.

DS doesn't say what powers the SM Tribute. The 1972 Motor Trend Car of the Year, the original SM was conceived as a luxury grand tourer with a Maserati V-6. Back in the day, Citroën owned Maserati (1968-1975), which had its own mechanically related car–the Quattroporte II, sold during the 1970s. In 2024, DS Automobiles and Maserati are both under Stellantis, and the Italian brand has the six-cylinder Nettuno engine. However, we reckon this concept is probably an EV.

Stellantis is sticking by its plan announced in 2021 to invest in all brands for 10 years. That includes DS, which is expected to roll out two new EVs on the STLA Medium architecture. One will be a production version of the Aero Sport Lounge, possibly called DS8 Crossback, while the other is likely a slightly raised fastback as a successor to the DS9. The platform can accommodate combustion engines, so there might be some plug-in hybrid drivetrains in the mix.

As you can imagine, there are no plans to put the SM Tribute into production. DS does need fresh vehicles if it wants to stay afloat, especially after a recent statement made by Stellantis CEO. Reuters quoted Carlos Tavares saying: "If they don't make money, we'll shut them down. We cannot afford to have brands that do not make money." It's as simple as that."

He didn't give any names, but it's easy to see why DS would be at a higher risk of getting the axe compared to most of the other 13 brands part of the conglomerate.