World’s fastest Citroën for sale

Classic speed hunters

Yes, this colour-coordinated classic outfit really is as brilliantly crazy as it looks.

And if you like what you see, the whole package is up for grabs with Gooding & Company during its Scottsdale sale, which runs from 18-22 January.

It is estimated it will sell for $100-200,000 (£73-146,000), but being offered without reserve and surely a unique trio, who knows what it could achieve.

So, what exactly is this lot?

The power of three

It’s a three-in-one deal here, the star attraction being the 1972 Citroën SM Land Speed Racer (chassis number SB 5805), but there is also the 1973 Citroën SM custom pick-up (chassis number 00SD0414). And let’s not forget the bespoke trailer.

As a set, these three are known as ‘The Rig’.

Not the weakest link

Well, when you have such an eye-catching competition car, you can’t tow it with any old thing, can you?

So, what has happened to this dashing, Robert Opron-designed SM and what has it achieved en route to being crowned the world’s fastest Citroën?

The specialist touch

The story starts in Los Angeles, California, with Sylvia and Jerry Hathaway. Jerry worked at the Irv White Buick dealership when it added Citroëns to its offering and he was smitten, eventually setting up shop as SM World, a factory-supported specialist.

One of his customers, Jon McKibben, who was an experienced land-speed racer, suggested that the SM’s aerodynamics could make it a potential record breaker, and so the project began.

A record breaker

As you can see, it was rather successful.

Following restoration and immaculate preparation, powered by a naturally aspirated 3.0-litre engine it had 250hp on tap, which was enough to take it to 139.7mph on its first outing at El Mirage, before hitting 151.2mph at Bonneville in 1979.

Raising the bar

Then it was time for an upgrade, courtesy of two AiResearch turbochargers that added 20psi of boost to the Maserati engine. The target was now 200mph.

It didn’t happen immediately, at times because of poor weather, but eventually in 1985, Jerry joined the 200mph Club in his SM, the car becoming the world’s fastest Citroën – a record it is still thought to hold.

Room for two

Two years later, his wife Sylvia also joined the 200mph Club thanks to a qualifying run where she hit 206.446mph, then her record run of 202.3mph.

This historic run set a class speed record that stood for 23 years.

An interior of intent

Just one peek inside this stripped-out racer will demonstrate how seriously the Hathaways took their land-speed record attempts.

It is a million miles away from how it left Citroën’s factory, with just its single super-lightweight bucket-style racing seat, rollcage and modified dashboard – which, of course, proudly features a ‘200mph Club’ plaque.

Power couple

Jerry and Sylvia Hathaway were a force to be reckoned with, then.

And this outfit heads to Gooding & Company’s auction this month as a single lot, having remained with the same family for four decades.

Time to regroup

But that isn’t the full story.

In the ’80s, the truck and trailer used to pull the couple’s SM racer were stolen. Which was when Jerry decided to custom-build a much more interesting solution.

Completing the set

Taking a second Citroën SM, he customised it and built a pick-up to tow the racer.

Then he constructed a bespoke trailer that uses suspension from the Double Chevron marque – it also has its own battery for the hydraulic pumps.

Highs and lows

What’s more, both the pick-up and the trailer are independently height adjustable.

Well, it makes it much easier to load and unload the racing car, doesn’t it?

Not the average

Rather unsurprisingly, a bespoke Citroën SM pick-up towing a colour-coordinated SM racing car on a matching trailer always turns heads and causes a stir out and about.

And, as we said earlier, this crazy, custom, classic outfit is nicknamed ‘The Rig’.

Capable and comfortable

Inside the Citroën pick-up tow car it appears to be well thought out and comfortable.

Well, when you’re travelling cross-country on epic, record-breaking adventures, you want to do so in style both inside and out.

Poles apart

This, of course, is in stark contrast to the racer’s cabin, stripped out and strengthened in preparation for land-speed record combat.

But both vehicles are gifted reinterpretations of Citroën’s SM.

On the show circuit

All good things come to an end and since retiring, ‘The Rig’ has been displayed at shows and museums, including at the Petersen Automotive Museum and the Mullin Automotive Museum, both of which are in California.

The racer was even shown at Rétromobile in Paris back in 2003.

Moving on

Now this classic trio is for sale.

And whoever is the winning bidder will also take home a coffee table built from the record-breaking Maserati V6 engine, as well as a fire-resistant race suit worn by Sylvia Hathaway.

Ready for more?

The auction house concedes that the vehicles will probably need to be serviced before used properly.

That said, they are runners, despite not being in regular use, the handsome pick-up doing a fine job of towing the set to Gooding & Company, ahead of this month’s sale.

The future’s orange

We can but speculate what the next owner of this no-reserve, one-of-a-kind trio will do with this set.

Whatever the answer, it will attract serious attention wherever it goes.

Hammer time

This ’73 custom Citroën pick-up, the ’72 record-breaking racer and the bespoke trailer will go under the hammer as a single lot during Gooding & Company’s 18-22 January Scottsdale sale.

Check out the full listing and find out more here.