Citroën SM tribute mulled for production with Maserati V-6

The modern take on the Citroën SM unveiled by France’s DS in September may see production yet.

In an interview with Top Gear published on Monday, DS design chief Thierry Metroz said the company is investigating ways to get the large coupe concept into limited production, like using the services of a coachbuilder.

He also said the idea of production isn’t so far fetched, as the concept, known as the DS SM Tribute, was built using parts from fellow Stellantis brand Maserati, specifically the platform of the redesigned 2024 Maserati GranTurismo. The original SM launched in 1970 used Maserati parts, including its V-6 engine.

Any modern version may also use Maserati’s current twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6, which delivers up to 550 hp in the GranTurismo, as opposed to the du jour of going electric. Metroz hinted that an expensive, limited-production car wouldn’t succeed as an electric vehicle.

“When you’re buying a million euro car, you don’t want an EV,” he said.

Metroz also revealed that both outgoing Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares and DS CEO Olivier Francois back the idea, so long as it makes money.

Even if the DS SM Tribute doesn’t make production, elements of its design are likely to appear on future models from DS. At the reveal, DS said the concept was also an exercise in developing the design for production DS models due around the end of the decade.