DS imagines a modern Citroën SM

• Stellantis’ DS brand has reimagined the Citroën SM for the modern era with a concept
• The concept perfectly blends modern and retro design cues
• DS developed the concept as part of its design research for models due at the end of the decade

The Citroën SM was an engineering marvel of the 1970s, with features like hydro-pneumatic suspension, a quad-cam V-6, and an aerodynamic design that delivered a drag coefficient of 0.26, a low figure even today and exceptionally low at the time of the SM’s launch.

Sadly, the car didn’t excite the market, and Citroën pulled the plug on production after just five years. Had the SM remained in production, a modern iteration might have looked like the SM Tribute concept unveiled on Wednesday by DS, the premium French brand that was spun out of Citroën and today forms part of the Stellantis fold. The DS name actually comes from the iconic Citroën DS, a model for which the SM was originally envisaged as a performance variant.

The new SM Tribute was built to mark the 10th anniversary of the Chantilly Arts & Elegance, and will make its formal debut at the French gathering which runs from Sept. 12-15. According to DS, the concept was also an exercise in developing the design for production DS models due around the end of the decade.

The concept blends modern and retro cues to result in a design that’s both unique and inspired by the original SM.

At the front, the wraparound cover for the headlights and license plate on the original has been reinterpreted as a sculptural screen that serves as a light bar. Moving to the side of the concept, the profile retains the characteristic lines of the SM following the airflow from the wide front to the narrower rear, and naturally the rear wheels are partially concealed, just like on the original.

Inside, the blend of old and new continues. The line of the dash resembles the original design, here augmented with a curved digital gauge cluster and . The seats also go retro with their horizontally striped cushions, and feature a mix of leather and Alcantara for their trim.

DS hasn’t said what powers the concept, though a lack of exhaust tips hints at an electric drive system. Since DS is part Stellantis, one of the auto giant’s STLA EV platforms likely underpins the concept.