Mylord Waßmann

People were used to a lot from Citroën, and when the SM model was unveiled at the 1970 Paris Motor Show, the French brand with the double chevron seemed poised to shake up the automotive world once again. In Germany, the motoring magazine Auto Motor und Sport even ran the headline “France’s Wonder Car” in its test report on the Citroën SM! The result was a supercar that was as futuristic as it was elegant, with exquisite performance and handling, and, moreover, exceptionally comfortable suspension characteristics, the likes of which had never been seen before in a sports car. These qualities were achieved through Citroën’s leading expertise in the tuning of hydropneumatic suspensions, combined with the commanding power of a Maserati engine. This unique concentration of know-how was, in a sense, a product of the Michelin Group, in which both Citroën and Maserati were then part.

[The text abruptly ends here, so the translation stops as well.] After French coachbuilder Henri Chapron had built 1,325 so-called factory convertibles of the DS for Citroën by 1971, he turned his attention to the SM in 1971 and presented the Citroën SM Mylord Cabriolet at the 1971 Paris Motor Show. The production of this convertible was technically and logistically very complex. Chapron received finished body shells from Citroën and converted them into convertibles. These convertibles were then returned to Citroën, where the drivetrain, chassis, steering, hydraulics, and electrical systems—in short, all the technical components—were installed. The vehicles then went back to Chapron for painting and interior fitting. This process was so costly that Chapron’s 1974 price list showed a purchase price of 128,800 francs (approximately 69,000 DM at the time). This corresponded almost exactly to the base price of a Mercedes 450 SEL 6.9, and therefore Chapron was only able to sell seven or eight examples, opinions vary on the exact number. A genuine Mylord Cabriolet, were it to come onto the market today, would certainly not be available for less than €400,000. The German company Auto Atelier Waßmann GmbH in Saarland produced five replicas in the first half of the 1990s, based on the Mylord’s original plans. However, even these vehicles are very rarely offered for sale, and we are delighted to be able to offer you one of them.

This SM Cabriolet is the first of the five Chapron replicas built by Auto Atelier Waßmann in Mörsbach, Saarland. The car was delivered on March 3, 1972, to an insurance agent from Mannheim. On December 7, 1973, the insurance agent moved within Mannheim, and his address was subsequently updated in the vehicle registration document. In 1974 and 1980, the owner moved to Weinheim and Fürth, respectively, and had the vehicle officially registered in his name. In 1986, he temporarily deregistered the vehicle. All of this is documented in the old brown vehicle registration document, which ends there. On September 12, 1986, an appraisal of the vehicle was carried out, confirming that the mileage at that time was 159,004 km. It is also noted that a Citroën replacement engine was installed at 100,000 km. After the appraisal was completed, the first owner sold the car at the end of 1986 to the second owner in Heilbronn. This second owner did not register the car and sold it on June 3, 1989, at 160,000 km, to a family in Cuxhaven. This family commissioned Auto Atelier Waßmann GmbH on March 30, 1991, to convert their vehicle into an original Chapron Mylord convertible. Written correspondence and the order confirmation from Waßmann are available. On April 27, 1992, the entry “closed passenger car” was deleted from the German vehicle registration documents, and the conversion to a convertible was recorded. Waßmann later converted four more SMs into convertibles in the same way. This family from Cuxhaven kept a logbook from April 20, 1992, at 172,470 kilometers, until August 13, 1998, at 226,714 kilometers. The entry from April 27, 1992, reads “Commissioned as a convertible!” On June 23, 1994, a replacement engine was procured and completely overhauled (e.g., new cylinder liners, pistons, camshafts, timing chains) and installed at 201,025 kilometers. In November 1996, the family had an appraisal done in Cuxhaven, which confirmed a mileage of 213,549 kilometers. From May 28, 1999, to May 16, 2008, at 257,060 kilometers, the family kept a second logbook. On May 31, 2016, the vehicle, by then registered as a classic car (H-plate) in Germany, was taken off the road by the family in Cuxhaven. On December 24, 2021, the car was exported to the Netherlands as a Christmas present. This Dutchman has entrusted us with the car for sale. The car’s current mileage is 258,242 kilometers, meaning the engine has only been driven 57,217 kilometers since its overhaul. Photos of the convertible conversion and the engine overhaul are available as prints. This is not only an extremely rare vehicle, but also one with very, very good documentation.

We subject every vehicle to a systematic inspection – from the bodywork and engine to the electrical system. Based on this, we will prepare three offers. You decide which one best suits your needs.

Economy – €162,200
A roadworthy, inspected, and safe vehicle with current Dutch registration documents.

Standard – €167,500
Includes a major service and oil change, new classic Michelin tires, and a new vehicle inspection and classic car certification.

Supreme – €168,800
Includes cavity and underbody wax protection.

We would be happy to send you the details of the three proposed offers. Or simply give us a call and we’ll explain everything to you personally.