Stunning SM Concept pays tribute to Citroën's past
The car started as a friendly in-house design competition to honour the SM's 50th anniversary
Concept cars inspired by vintage models can often be hit-or-miss, but the DS SM Tribute is a stunner that’s stopped us in our tracks. It was originally just a set of sketches for a creative competition, but it’s now been built into a concept shown at the Chantilly Arts et Élégance concours show in France.
The name indicates that it’s a tribute to the Citroën SM, an iconic model introduced in 1970. Citroën now belongs to Stellantis, which of course is also the parent company of Dodge, Jeep, Fiat, and more. A decade ago, it spun DS Automobiles off into its own brand, and it currently makes SUVs and a full-size sedan for European sales.
In 2020, to mark the original DS’ fiftieth anniversary, DS Design Studio Paris held an internal competition to come up with a “reinterpretation” of the car. The sketches were shared on social media. “Our community sent us several strong messages during this sketch sharing,” said Thierry Metroz, design director for DS Automobiles. “The first was that it was very attached to the iconic models from our heritage. The second was that it didn’t want the original design to be spoilt.”
The automaker said the Design Studio team “worked as if SM had continued to develop over the past decades.” The original car, penned by famed French designer Robert Opron, included a V6 engine and a hydro-pneumatic suspension it took from the earlier and equally iconic Citroën DS. Unusually for the time, it also had air conditioning and power steering. The SM Concept designers worked from the SM production car, as well as its prototypes and two that were built for use by French presidents.
The SM Concept’s two-tone paint is based on a colour called Gold Leaf, offered on the 1971 SM, but with satin varnish and a handmade patina. The original SM had a front glass section incorporating the headlamps and licence plate, while the concept has a 3D screen with three modules on either side for the headlights and daytime running lights. The profile is meant to follow airflow around the car from front to rear, with removable rear fairings over the 22-inch wheels.
The interior also pays tribute to the 1970 version, including the shape of the dash and oval instrument design. The horizontal seat cushions do also, clad in leather and Alcantara in the concept.
“It’s not just a portrayal of the SM,” Metroz said. “We have respected the original design through its spirit and details. We have done a transcript and reinterpretation of the SM.” While the car will remain just a concept, he also said that the designers had “included a lot of details about what DS Automobiles models and our future projects are.”
Concept cars inspired by vintage models can often be hit-or-miss, but the DS SM Tribute is a stunner that’s stopped us in our tracks. It was originally just a set of sketches for a creative competition, but it’s now been built into a concept shown at the Chantilly Arts et Élégance concours show in France.
The name indicates that it’s a tribute to the Citroën SM, an iconic model introduced in 1970. Citroën now belongs to Stellantis, which of course is also the parent company of Dodge, Jeep, Fiat, and more. A decade ago, it spun DS Automobiles off into its own brand, and it currently makes SUVs and a full-size sedan for European sales.
In 2020, to mark the original DS’ fiftieth anniversary, DS Design Studio Paris held an internal competition to come up with a “reinterpretation” of the car. The sketches were shared on social media. “Our community sent us several strong messages during this sketch sharing,” said Thierry Metroz, design director for DS Automobiles. “The first was that it was very attached to the iconic models from our heritage. The second was that it didn’t want the original design to be spoilt.”
The automaker said the Design Studio team “worked as if SM had continued to develop over the past decades.” The original car, penned by famed French designer Robert Opron, included a V6 engine and a hydro-pneumatic suspension it took from the earlier and equally iconic Citroën DS. Unusually for the time, it also had air conditioning and power steering. The SM Concept designers worked from the SM production car, as well as its prototypes and two that were built for use by French presidents.
The SM Concept’s two-tone paint is based on a colour called Gold Leaf, offered on the 1971 SM, but with satin varnish and a handmade patina. The original SM had a front glass section incorporating the headlamps and licence plate, while the concept has a 3D screen with three modules on either side for the headlights and daytime running lights. The profile is meant to follow airflow around the car from front to rear, with removable rear fairings over the 22-inch wheels.
The interior also pays tribute to the 1970 version, including the shape of the dash and oval instrument design. The horizontal seat cushions do also, clad in leather and Alcantara in the concept.
“It’s not just a portrayal of the SM,” Metroz said. “We have respected the original design through its spirit and details. We have done a transcript and reinterpretation of the SM.” While the car will remain just a concept, he also said that the designers had “included a lot of details about what DS Automobiles models and our future projects are.”