Citroens have always been known more for their quirkiness than their performance, which is why seeing modified ones is quite rare. Enter this heavily-reworked 1972 Citroen SM capable of speeds in excess of 200 mph (322 km/h), which made an appearance at this year’s running of the prestigious Villa d’Este car show.
The car was originally built as a land speed racer, and it even had a custom matching SM pickup conversion to tow it around. Unfortunately, that pickup doesn’t appear to be present, but that’s beside the point. The unique Citroen was created by American mechanic Jerry Hathaway, and after a series of top speed runs in the 1980s, it was actually his wife Sylvia who ended up posting its fastest ever pass.
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Instead of the original Maserati-sourced V6 which made less than 200 hp (203 PS / 149 kW), this SM was fitted with a custom twin-turbocharged version making 530 hp (537 PS / 403 kW). That enabled the French coupe to reach a top speed of 202 mph (325 km/h) on the Bonneville Salt Flats, earning it the title of not only the fastest SM but also the fastest Citroen in the world.
The car also featured a stripped-out interior complete with metal bucket seats, a roll cage, and a parachute to slow it down after a top-speed run. The Citroen‘s original curb weight was around 3,300 lbs (1,497 kg) to begin with, so we’d imagine the weight savings from the interior definitely played a role in the car’s pursuit of 200 mph.
To see the car in detail, as well as hear a bit of its raspy V6 exhaust note, you can check it out in the video below.