Rock and roll Citroën set to cross the block

| 19 May 2015

The Citroën SM is sleek, beautiful, a little bit bonkers and, with a raucous Maserati engine under the bonnet, undeniably very cool. The fact the example that’s set to go under the hammer at Bonhams’ Festival of Speed auction on 26 June currently belongs to founding member and bassist of the Rolling Stones, Bill Wyman, makes it doubly so. It’s expected to sell for between £35-45,000, and it isn’t the only prize from the rocker's collection to be put up for sale: the SM is joined by a 1966 Mercedes-Benz 250S, which is estimated at £20-25,000. 

Rolling Stones

Both cars were used extensively by the musician in period, being driven to international recording studios during the making of the albums Beggars Banquet, Exile on Main Street, Let it Bleed and Tattoo You. 

“I had the very first Mercedes that featured blacked-out windows,” said Wyman. “Everyone was getting black windows: Mick Jagger and Brian Jones did on their Minis. Mercedes has never done black windows though, so I had to contribute to the research on how to make them. It cost me about £350. Then of course, I got stopped all the time. The police usually just wanted to see who was in it.

Rolling Stones

“From 1966 to 1969 I used the car to travel around London and to Olympic Studios where we were recording Beggars Banquet and Let it Bleed. When we weren’t in the studio or touring, I drove it around England with my camera, taking photos.

“From 1971 to 1982, I was living in the South of France, and I frequently drove the Maserati from my new home in Vence to Paris, where we recorded Some Girls, Emotional Rescue and Tattoo You. 

Rolling Stones

“The minute I saw the Citroën, I thought, this is it! It looked so beautiful. They showed me that incredible engine and the double headlights, and I thought, incredible! I fell in love with it.

“I’d drive to Keith Richards’ place, miles away in Cap Ferrat, to record the Exile on Main Street album, and I’d drive to Paris and back, an eight hour journey each way.

Rolling Stones

“It was so easy to drive,” he said of the SM. “I became great friends with Marc Chagall, Cesar, and James Baldwin over the years, and I’d drive over to their homes on the Cote d’Azur. I’d also drive to Monte Carlo to hang out with Ringo.

“I drove it to Spain, too. And to Marsailles, Portofino in Italy, and back to England a few times. Oh, and of course to Switzerland. I went there twice to play at the Montreux Jazz festival. This first time was with Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Junior Wells and Pinetop Perkins. Then, three years later, I again drove there to play with Muddy Waters again.

Rolling Stones

“I am sorry to say goodbye to these two cars but, having enjoyed them so much over the years, and having kept them both in pristine condition, I feel they should now go to the people who will love and take care of them as much as I have.”

 

Rolling Stones