Photos of Citroën’s Presence at the Montreal Auto Show – 1971

We have unearthed some photos of Citroën Canada’s display at the Montreal International Auto Show held at The Place Bonaventure in the early 1970’s. (We think 1971). These come from Michael Scott who grew up in nearby Longueuil at the time.  [Click on any image to enlarge.]

Take a look at the photo of the SM with the door open.  It is a European spec model, most likely an early one that was brought over and used for PR purposes over here.  There is a cloth interior, (CDN and US SM’s had leather), no side markers and it has the European license plate light in the rear.

Montreal Auto Show - Citroen SM crop   Montreal Auto Show - Citroen SM nose crop

And look just behind the SM on the right.  There is a GS!  (Citroën Canada did have a couple of white GS in Montreal in that era).  Here’s proof they were showcasing the GS even though they never were officially sold in Canada (or the US),

Montreal Auto Show - Citroen SM explained crop

Question:  Who is the lady that appears to be the booth display model?   And there’s the GS again (rear quarter panel view).

Montreal Auto Show - Citroen GS crop

Here is another photo showing a DS and most likely a D-Special behind it.

Montreal Auto Show - Citroen DS crop

Bonus time!  –  OK, out of the 70’s and into the 80’s.  This shot of an Aston Martin and a SM was taken in Toronto in 1983.  The SM is 1971 or ’72 SM Canadian spec model.  The CDN cars in ’71 and ’72 were just like the US in that they had the side markers and solid orange turn lenses, but they had the euro headlights behind glass covers.  In 1973 the CDN SMs took on the exposed US headlamps, apparently to comply with the same arcane lighting regulations as the US that the Canadian government chose to adopt.  Even so, to circumvent the new CDN law, many ’73 and ’74 SM’s that were imported had euro light kits in the trunk that the dealers would install as an “option” immediately after the car was purchased.

Citroen SM & Aston Martin - Toronto 1983

We note that this one also has body side molding.  It looks to be home installed, something like what you could buy at Canadian Tire at the time.  The dealer installed optional side moldings went forward to just shy of the front wheel well.

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