Editing Citroën SM (section)

==Performance==
Contemporary automotive journalists were effusive about the SM's dynamic qualities, which were unlike anything they had experienced before.<ref name="espadatechsite.com"/> The SM provided a combination of comfort, sharp handling, and braking not available in any other car at the time.<ref name="drive-my.com">{{Cite web|url=https://drive-my.com/en/test-drive/item/1624-gian-test-citroen-sm-2-7-vs-bmw-3-0-cs.html |title=Giant test Citroen SM 2.7 vs BMW 3.0 CS E9 |date=29 April 2014 }} CAR Magazine 1972</ref> The magazine ''[[Popular Science]]'' reported that the SM had the shortest stopping distance of any car they had tested.<ref name="jalopnik.com">{{cite web|url=http://jalopnik.com/264002/citroen-sm | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221210003214/https://jalopnik.com/citroen-sm-264002 | archive-date = 2022-12-10 | title=Citroen SM| first = Jonny | last = Lieberman|work=Jalopnik|date=29 May 2007 }}</ref>

Automotive journalists marveled at the resulting ability to travel for hours at {{convert|200|km/h|mph|0|abbr=on}} in comfort.<ref name="hemmings.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.hemmings.com/hsx/stories/2014/11/01/hmn_feature1.html |title=Driving the Future – 1972 Citroën SM |website=Hemmings}}</ref> In 1972 ''Motorsport'' (U.K.) noted ..."that rare quality of being a nice car to be in at any speed, from stationary to maximum."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.motorsportmagazine.com/archive/page/december-1972/44 |title=The Citroen SM |magazine=Motor Sport Magazine |date=December 1972 |page=44}}</ref> The touring range based on the SM's fuel economy and the large {{convert|90|L|abbr=on}} fuel tank made long, fast, relaxing journeys possible.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://auto.howstuffworks.com/citroen-sm.htm |website=How Stuff Works | title=Citroen SM }}</ref>

Because the SM had a smaller {{cvt|170|PS|kW|0}} engine than competitors, the acceleration was adequate rather than exemplary – some competitors were quicker. Some owners have fitted the similar sized {{cvt|220|PS|kW|0}} [[Maserati Merak]] SS engine, which does improve the driving experience considerably.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/features/octane_features/275635/driven_citroen_sm.html | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121225082852/http://www.classicandperformancecar.com/features/octane_features/275635/driven_citroen_sm.html | archive-date = 2012-12-25 | date = November 2011 | title = Driven: Citroen SM | first= Keith | last = Adams | work = Octane | publisher = Classic and Performance Car }}</ref> The fuel consumption compared favorably to its competitors.

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!Make & model
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! Citroën SM
| {{cvt|170|PS|kW|0}}||{{convert|220|km/h||0|abbr=on}}||8.5 sec|| {{convert|12.5|L/100km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.automobile-catalog.com/car/1972/127805/citroen_sm.html|title = Detailed specs review of 1972 Citroen SM offered up to mid-year 1972 for Europe}}</ref>
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![[Jensen Interceptor]]
| {{cvt|254|PS|kW|0}}|| {{convert|217|km/h|abbr=on}}||7.5 sec|| {{convert|24|L/100km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/jensen/interceptor_2gen/interceptor_iii/1972.html|title = 1972 Jensen Interceptor Mk III full range specs}}</ref>
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![[Alfa Romeo Montreal]]
|{{convert|171|kW|abbr=on}}|| {{convert|224|km/h||0|abbr=on}}||7.5 sec|| {{convert|13.7|L/100km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://alfamontreal.info/|title = The Alfa Romeo Montreal Website}}</ref>
|-
![[BMW E9|BMW 3.0CS]]
|{{cvt|193|PS|kW|0}}|| {{convert|200|km/h||0|abbr=on}}||7.9 sec|| {{convert|15.5|L/100km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/bmw/2500-3_0cs_e09/2500-3_0cs_e09/1972.html|title = 1972 BMW 2500-3.0 CS E9 Coupe full range specs}}</ref>
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! [[Mercedes-Benz R107 and C107|Mercedes-Benz 450 SLC]]
| {{cvt|192|PS|kW|0}}|| {{convert|202|km/h|abbr=on}}||9.5 sec|| {{convert|15|L/100km|abbr=on}}<ref name="TAM74/75">{{Cite book | title = Quattroruote: Tutte le Auto del Mondo 74/75 | publisher = Editoriale Domus S.p.A | date = 1974 | ref = TAM75 | language = it | page = 440 | location = Milano }}</ref>
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![[Jaguar E-Type|Jaguar XKE Series III V12]]
|{{cvt|254|PS|kW|0}}|| {{convert|217|km/h|abbr=on}}||6.8 sec|| {{convert|18|L/100km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/jaguar/e-type_3/xke_3_fhc_22/1972.html|title = 1972 Jaguar XK-E Series III 2+2 Coupe full range specs}}</ref>
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![[Lincoln Continental Mark IV|Continental Mark IV]]
|{{cvt|215|PS|kW|0}}|| {{convert|190|km/h||0|abbr=on}}||10.8 sec|| {{convert|25.3|L/100km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/lincoln/continental_mark_iv/continental_mark_iv_coupe/1972.html|title=1972 Lincoln Mark IV Coupe full range specs}}</ref>
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![[Cadillac Eldorado]]
|{{cvt|238|PS|kW|0}}|| {{convert|189|km/h|abbr=on}}||9.7 sec|| {{convert|26.2|L/100km|abbr=on}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/cadillac/eldorado_1971-1978/eldorado_1971-1978_hardtop/1972.html|title = 1972 Cadillac Eldorado Hardtop Coupe full range specs}}</ref>
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