Citroën SM 1970

The SM does not follow a sequence of generations in the usual sense, but rather the life of a single model that went through a number of adaptations. The 1970 Base belongs to the launch phase and should be understood as the coupé’s initial configuration. At this stage, the key elements are already in place: the Maserati 2.7-litre V6, front-wheel drive and hydropneumatic suspension.

Later, the range evolved through the adoption of electronic injection on some versions, automatic transmissions and market-specific variants, especially for North America. These changes did not alter the SM’s basic identity, but they do clearly separate later cars from the 1970 example. For that reason, the launch Base should be seen as the purest expression of the original concept, without importing features that appeared only afterwards.

For the SM, the most important distinction is between the launch setup and the later changes that followed. The 1970 Base corresponds to the model’s first form, with carburettor fueling and a five-speed manual gearbox according to the initial phase described in the dossier. It is the most direct expression of the coupé as it reached the market.

Electronic-injection versions belong to a later stage and should not be confused with the 1970 car. The same applies to automatic-transmission cars and to export-market examples, whose exterior presentation may differ, especially in the lighting area. The 1970 SM Base therefore stands as the reference point from which the other variants developed, without any safe basis for assigning it an unconfirmed trim level or equipment set.