DS wants to turn the stunning SM Tribute concept into a real, V6-engined car you can buy

DS is examining ways to put the amazing SM Tribute coupé into production.

It was first designed as a concept. But to ease its build, it used existing production parts from another Stellantis division – Maserati. Which is appropriate as the original Citroen SM did the same, having a Maserati platform and V6 engine with the French body and hydraulic springs grafted in.

Now DS is looking at ways of bringing the concept into limited production, design boss Thierry Metroz tells TopGear.com. He says it would be manufactured by a coachbuilder in tiny numbers using Maserati Granturismo underpinnings. The concept even uses a Granturismo windscreen.

He claims both Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares and DS chief Olivier Francois are behind the idea, provided it can make money. So the question is can they find the right price to actually sell some, but still cover the cost of building it.

In the hypercar world somewhere around 50-200 is a sweet spot, because you can use a lot of handmade 3D parts, rather than investing in expensive tools.

It'll be an expensive collector's item. I asked Metroz whether it would be electric or combustion powered and he said: "When you're buying a million Euro car you don't want an EV."

So expect it to be upwards of £850,000 then. And to be driven by a Maserati Nettuno V6 3.0-litre turbo engine. That means at least 530bhp. The original SM was front-drive but Maserati now drives all four.

The concept was unveiled, among a flotilla of original SMs, at the Chantilly Arts and Elegance, a high-end French concours that was founded in the same year, 2014, as the modern DS brand.

When the concept showed, they said it was both a look back at the SM, and an indicator of some design details in future DS cars.

The forward-looking elements include the exterior and cabin lighting, the two-tone paint, as well as the general approach to surfaces and sharp corners.

Glancing backward at the 1970s SM, we find the nose-heavy teardrop fuselage, the faired-in rear wheels, the sweeping dash and the corrugated seat upholstery.

So do you think a limited run of this Tribute would be a good addition to a lavish multi-car garage?