DS SM Tribute concept may go into production alongside Maserati

Stellantis has a portfolio of many forgettable brands, but DS is one of the most memorable. The luxury car company, which was spun off from Citroën, hopes to change that by embracing its past and making cars that are stylish, elegant and fun.

While we’ve already reported on the modern successor to the Citroën DS , it seems the French brand also wants to build a production version of the SM Tribute. The concept was launched earlier this year as part of the brand’s tenth anniversary celebrations and imagines what the original SM would look like today.

More: DS commemorates 10th anniversary and pays tribute to SM concept

The concept was generally thought to be just a fun one-off, but Top Gear reports that the company is now considering production. That might be easier than you think, as the concept relies on the Maserati parts bin, just like the original SM powered by a Maserati V6 engine offered from 1970 to 1975.

Thierry Metroz said that if the plan is approved, the production model would be based on the GranTurismo and built in “small numbers” by the coachbuilder. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares and DS CEO Olivier Francois are said to support the project as long as it is profitable.

That means it’s expensive, with Metroz saying it could cost €1m (equivalent to around $1.05m/£830k at current exchange rates). The designer went on to say that customers spending that kind of money don’t want an electric car, so that suggests the coupe could come with a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 with at least 542 hp (404 kW / 550 PS) and 460 lb-ft (623 Nm) of torque. This enables the GranTurismo Trofeo to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 3.3 seconds before reaching a top speed of 199 mph (320 km/h).

While it remains to be seen whether this model will receive final approval, Stellantis has a history of producing expensive limited editions. One of the latest examples is the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, which is based on the MC20 and built by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera.