Citroens are always known for their quirkiness rather than their performance, which is why it is quite rare to see modified ones. Capable of speeds of up to 200 mph (322 km / h), the 1972 Citroen SM was heavily-rebuilt, appearing at this year’s prestigious Villa d’Este Car Show.
The car was originally built as a land speed racer, and also had a custom matching SM pickup conversion to tow it around. Unfortunately, that pickup doesn’t seem to be present, but it’s next to the dot. The unique citroen was created by American mechanic Jerry Hathaway, and after a series of runs at top speed in the 1980s, it was actually his wife Sylvia who posted its fastest pass.
See also: See supercars, prototypes and ideas from 2022 at Villa d’Est
Instead of the original month-sourced V6 produced at less than 200 hp (203 PS / 149 kW), this SM was fitted with a custom twin-turbocharged version of 530 hp (537 PS / 403 kW). This enabled the French coupe to reach a maximum speed of 202 mph (325 km / h) in the Bonneville Salt Flat, earning it the title of not only the fastest SM but also the fastest citroen in the world.
The car also features a full strip-out interior with a metal bucket seat, a roll cage and a parachute to slow it down after a top-speed drive. The actual carb weight of the citroen was initially about 3,300 pounds (1,497 kg), so we can imagine that weight savings from the interior played a role in the vehicle’s 200 miles per hour speed.
To see the car in detail, as well as to hear some of its Raspberry V6 exhaust notes, you can check it out in the video below.