Mon Dieu: The Ultra-Rare Citroën SM Convertible That Redefined French Luxury

Uncommon Grandeur - Ah, the French. Masters of cuisine, couture, and occasionally, cars that seem to belong more in an art gallery than a garage. Few vehicles capture that peculiar magic quite like the Citroën SM — a machine so bold, so unapologetically different, it could only have come from France. When it debuted in the early 1970s, it wasn’t just a car; it was a manifesto on wheels. 

The 1975 Citroën SM Mon Dieu Cabriolet by Henri Chapron painted in a dazzling shade of Byzantine Gold, was showcased at the 2014 Retromobile show, drawing attention with its rare elegance and bespoke craftsmanship. (Picture from: Wikipedia)

Marrying futuristic styling, a spaceship-like interior, and engineering quirks like the DIRAVI self-centering steering system, it looked and drove like nothing else on the road. And of course, let’s not forget the Maserati V6 under its sleek hood — a powerplant that made sure the SM didn’t just whisper sophistication, but roared it in Italian. 

The 1975 Citroën SM Mon Dieu Cabriolet by Henri Chapron elevated his legacy of refining Citroëns by transforming the coupe into an elegant four-seater cabriolet with a reinforced body for added strength. (Picture from: Wikipedia)

Now imagine this already fascinating machine without a roof — the wind swirling through its futuristic lines, the sky reflected in its metallic paint, and that exotic V6 singing a little louder. That dream wasn’t just hypothetical. In 1971, the renowned coachbuilder Henri Chapron made it real. At the Paris Motor Show, he unveiled a rare convertible version of the SM he called 'Mon Dieu' — or more formally, ‘MyLord.’ The name alone hinted at grandeur, and the execution did not disappoint.

The 1975 Citroën SM Mon Dieu Cabriolet by Henri Chapron combined futuristic styling, a spaceship-like interior, and engineering quirks like the DIRAVI self-centering steering system to create a driving experience unlike anything else on the road. (Picture from: Wikipedia)

Chapron was no stranger to dressing up Citroëns, but what he did with the SM was something else entirely. He transformed the coupe into an elegant four-seater cabriolet, reinforcing the body for strength, reshaping the rear with a proper boot, and crafting a roof system to shelter the cabin. It was more than a conversion — it was a reimagination of luxury the French way, with subtle touches of Italian flair beating beneath.

The 1975 Citroën SM Mon Dieu Cabriolet by Henri Chapron took his craftsmanship to another level, with a reshaped rear featuring a proper boot, and a custom roof system designed to elegantly enclose the cabin. (Picture from: gueguette80 in Flickr)

But, like many beautiful things, the Mon Dieu came with a price. A steep one. At Fr. ₣130,000, it cost nearly twice as much as the regular SM and edged dangerously close to the price of a Ferrari Daytona. Unsurprisingly, Citroën passed on mass production, and only six of these Chapron cabriolets were ever believed to have been made. One is rumored to have been lost to a fire, making the surviving examples some of the rarest Citroëns in existence. Artcurial, the prestigious French auction house, even calls them "impossible" to find — and they don’t use that word lightly. | hlV5fXzPjx8 |

Among those few, one stands apart: a pristine one-owner car first bought at the 1975 Paris Motor Show by a Citroën dealer from Colmar. Painted in a dazzling shade of Byzantine Gold, it spent years gracefully transporting its owners to their holiday home on the French Riviera. Lovingly maintained and preserved with its original documentation — including technical drawings and personal letters between Chapron and the owner — this car became a time capsule of 1970s French elegance. It was eventually auctioned by Artcurial, offering not just a collector's item but an emotional connection to a golden era of automotive artistry. 

The enduring allure of the Citroën SM convertible inspired one passionate owner in the 1990s to commission Carrozzeria Ferrero in Italy to create his own vision of the open-top SM—dubbed the “MyLord Recreation”—a unique two-seater reinterpretation distinct from the original Chapron version. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

And yet, the allure of a Citroën SM convertible is so strong that even decades later, it continues to inspire. in the late 1990s, one determined SM owner simply couldn’t resist the idea of open-top motoring. So, he took his car to Carrozzeria Ferrero in Italy — yes, Italy again — to bring his vision of a convertible SM to life—dubbed the “MyLord Recreation”. 

The Citroën SM Convertible “MyLord Recreation” by Carrozzeria Ferrero pairs the model’s signature dashboard with luxurious Poltrona Frau leather seats, seamlessly blending French eccentricity with Italian craftsmanship. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

The project took far longer than expected, stretching into the 2020s, but the result was worth the wait. Completed in 2021, the MyLord Recreation came equipped with a power-folding roof and plush Poltrona Frau leather seats, blending French eccentricity with Italian craftsmanship once more. Though not an original Chapron, it pays heartfelt tribute to the spirit of 'Mon Dieu' — bold, rare, and utterly irresistible.

The Citroën SM Convertible “MyLord Recreation” by Carrozzeria Ferrero was outfitted with a sleek power-folding roof, enhancing its open-air driving experience with modern convenience. (Picture from: ClassicDriver)

In the end, the Citroën SM 'Mon Dieu' represents more than a rare collectible. It’s a glimpse into what happens when innovation meets ambition, when artistry dares to challenge convention. Whether you're lucky enough to find an original or simply admire it from afar, one thing is certain: this is not just a car. It’s a beautifully strange dream made real — and just maybe, the last truly great expression of French automotive luxury. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | ARTCURIAL | CLASSICDRIVER | HAGERTYCOUK | CARTHATNEVERMADEITETC IN TUMBLR | WIKIPEDIA  ]

Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.