Beauty in 1:18 - Citroën SM Bleu d'Orient 1972 by Norev

It's the exception, but every now and then a miniature Citroën makes it onto my desk. The SM in Bleu d'Orient (Orient blue) is an exclusive beauty that is rarely found in 1:1 scale. In 1972, only 3% of Citroën SM buyers chose the color, a year later it was 4%. Then the colour, perhaps too conservative compared to the metallic alternatives, was phased out. The chances of finding an SM in this livery on the street are therefore negligible.

It is all the more gratifying that Norev has the SM in Bleu d'Orient in its range. The French manufacturer produced the first model car in 1945, combining attention to detail and value for money. Unfortunately, he has nothing from Saab in the program, but it would be nice if you could decide to do so. Because the Citroën SM is simply well made, you want to see and collect more of it.

It starts with opening doors and hoods. The Maserati engine lurks under the bonnet, under a tangle of hoses and hydropneumatic balls. Brilliant! The driver and passenger door give access to the blue interior, the details are finely done. Instruments, gears, pedals and seats. Everything is miniaturized and made with a lot of love, only the steering wheel has a look that is perhaps not quite true to style and profane.

The SM - a sculpture by Citroën

Unmistakable SM tail

View into the interior

It gets really great when the trunk lid swings up. Because the rear shelf also opens upwards and shows the trunk with the spare wheel. That's good, but not all. There's more. The rollable 1:18 scale model car has two more fine details to offer.

Tailgate open - but there is still something going on

The parcel shelf folds up like the tailgate

Hydropneumatics plus Maserati engine

There is the steering, which can be turned and, like the original, always swings back to its original position as if by magic. Hydropneumatics also lives in the miniature, and not only when playing at the wheel. The little Citroën SM actually springs, and it does so as you would expect from a sedan chair with hydropneumatics.

Of course, all other details are also finely executed. The finish of the workmanship is excellent, just as you would expect Norev can expect. The paintwork may have been cost-optimized now, the paint used to be thicker, but that's okay.

With so much beauty and fine details, you can definitely ask about the price. The Citroën SM Bleu d'Orient is a member of the “Collectors” series and is addressed to collectors. It is packaged relatively complex and comes in a sturdy box.

However, if you expect a three-digit price, you are wrong. Between 70,00 and 80,00 € have to be put on the table in specialist shops. Not too much, for a nice rarity from Citroën.