Citroën’s decision to spin off its “DS” model line and make it its own luxury car brand will never be understood. DS is now more of an afterthought, rather than the iconic model line it once was (though recent Citroën DS models have not lived up to the history of the name). But despite the confusion, DS did get one thing right: this new SM Tribute concept car.
The new SM Tributo Concept is truly a tribute to the iconic Citroën SM, one of the coolest, strangest, and most fascinating sports luxury coupes of all time. According to the press release, the tribute was made “as if the SM had continued to evolve over the past 50 years,” and DS has met the challenge perfectly. The car looks exactly like the SM that has continually evolved over several generations up to this point. Every other car company needs to take note. That’s how you resurrect a legend.
You don’t need to see the name to know what it is. The proportions are much more modern — shorter rear deck, longer front doors, smaller back seat, longer dash-to-axle ratio, shorter overhangs — but the spirit of the original SM is there. Signature design elements of the SM have always included the arrow-like C-pillar crease and rear wheel covers. The former is more subtle on the Tribute, while the latter has been reimagined smaller, even featuring a small window that reveals the top of the wheel. If you want to see the whole wheel, you can remove it, too. Modern brakes are much larger and require more cooling airflow, so we doubt they’ll be identical to the original, though.
The SM Tributo’s stick-figure headlights aren’t as attractive as the original’s, and the lower front fascia is too large and aggressive, but the large glass panels covering the headlights and grille give it the best vintage Citroën vibe.
