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One of the most famous cars with the legendary double chevron, the SM is officially back. However, it is now not under the Citroën brand, like the original model that was sold in the first half of the 1970s. Instead, the concept is badged as DS to commemorate the decade since DS Automobiles became a separate brand under the PSA corporate umbrella. It has been part of Stellantis since early 2021 following the merger of FCA and PSA.
The French brand has unveiled the SM Tribute, an impressive one-of-a-kind model with a retro-futuristic design. DS presented the car's appearance as if the SM had remained in production after 1975 and "continued to evolve over the past five decades".
Design
Instead of the usual front grille, the original car has a glass panel, which has now been reimagined as a 3D screen that doubles as a light panel. The classic SM had swiveling headlights, while its contemporary has thin LED strips.
Compared to its predecessor, the SM Tribute has become 30 mm longer and 140 mm wider. Ground clearance has been lowered by almost 35 mm for aerodynamic purposes. Instead of tiny 15-inch wheels like its ancestor, the new concept rides on majestic 22-inch light-alloy wheels with aerodynamic overlays. The cutout in the rear fender serves as a visual nod to the car's removable wheels from the 1970s.
There is no word that the car has the revolutionary hydropneumatic suspension of its predecessor. The side mirrors mounted on the doors have given way to sleek cameras mounted at the base of the front pillars for better airflow. However, the car's unconventional silhouette and gold leaf paint harken back to the original.
Within
The interior has only the curve of the instrument panel and the seats are a bit similar to the old SM. Being a concept, the rest of the cabin is predictably saturated with screens, with no visible physical controls. Even the square "steering wheel" appears to have its own display, while the so-called "curved screen console" contains capacitive touch keys.
DS doesn't say about SM Tribute stuffing. The 1972 car (the original SM) was conceived as a luxury Grand Tourer with a Maserati V6 engine. Citroën once owned Maserati (1968-1975), which had a similar Quattroporte II car sold throughout the 1970s. In 2024, DS Automobiles and Maserati come under Stellantis, and the Italian brand has the Nettuno six-cylinder engine. However, this concept is probably an electric car.
Development plan
Stellantis is sticking to its plan, announced in 2021, to invest in all brands over 10 years. This includes DS, which is set to release two new electric vehicles based on the STLA Medium architecture. One will be the production version of the Aero Sport Lounge, likely to be called the DS8 Crossback, while the other is expected to be a slightly facelifted fastback as the successor to the DS9. The platform can accommodate internal combustion engines, so the new products may have plug-in hybrid transmissions.
Production of the SM Tribute is currently not planned and the concept will remain a single copy.
