KM: 31 244 Kms
YEAR: 16/07/1970
COLOUR: Gris Nacré AC 095
MODEL:
Wankel engine with single rotating piston. Capacity 995 cc.
59 Ch (about 57 bhp) at 5,500 rpm. Top speed 144 km/hr
Water cooled. Front disc brakes.
From the end of 1969, Citroen embarked on “operation M35” which consist-ed of selling 500 prototypes to volunteer clients, in order to test the rotary engine, but only 267 examples were made from 1969 to 1971. In order to ap-pear to have reached the proposed production figure of 500, Citroen made a jump of 200 numbers, going from 176 to 375, in October 1970.
The M35 coupe is a rolling test-bed, clothed in Heuliez bodywork on an Ami 8 base, even though only a small number of parts are common between the two models. They were uniquely painted metallic grey.
The M35 was equipped with the hydropneumatic suspension, adapted for the first time to a model of this type.
The inscriptions on the wings are found on all M35 models, along with the sticker in the rear window indicating “this Citroen M35 prototype with a rota-ry engine is on prolonged trial in the hands of a Citroen client”.
There was 2 years guarantee on the engine. Most of the cars received several engines, that costed a lot to the trend. In the end of 1971, Citroen bought back at a good price from its clients the majority of the M35 models, in order to destroy them. There are about one hundred examples remaining, most of them to be restored.
Price at the time: 14,000 Francs = 2137 euros (the same as a D Super!).
Minimum monthly wage at the time: 606 Francs = 92 euros.
HISTORY:
During a twenty year period, I always placed a ‘Wanted’ advert in the weekly magazine ‘la Vie de l’Auto’ (LVA): “Searching for any Citroen in excellent original condition with minimal mileage for museum display”, which had the advantage that I was offered cars before any advert was placed by the seller. My landline number indicated my location was Grasse, I had set up a call transfer from Norway where I was living, which was a novel feature for the time.
At the end of the 1990s, a doctor from Luneville called to offer me his M35 with 11,000kms in near-new condition. The price was high for the time, 65,000 francs, around 10,000 euros. The doctor told me “exceptional car, exceptional price”. A meeting was arranged at Nancy railway station within 2 days. Coming from Roissy, I arrived at the ‘Gare de l’Est’ in Paris. I called the doctor to let him know my arrival time. He replied :
“The car is sold. I had called you in Grasse and you told me you were in Norway, sorry but I didn’t believe you. Anyway, I have sold the car for a good price: 60,000 francs”.
“ Well you have lost 5000 francs and I have lost a beautiful car!”
I returned to Oslo. After a few sleepless nights, my luck turned. At the time, a childhood friend who had become a postman used to fax me the advert pages from LVA over to Oslo at 7am. Another M35 was now for sale in Digne. I woke up my friend Alain Costes from Cruis (region 04) to ask him to go and see the car as soon as possible. Alain did so, and finally I had my first M35.
Here is its story:
This car was sold new to a wood and coal merchant from Pau (south-west of France). It was bought back again by a Citroen agent of the same town. He moved and took over the Citroen agency of Pacy (Normandy). He declared himself bankrupt and then decided to take over the Citroen agency of Digne, always followed by his M35.
Again bankrupt! He repaid his debts to a local tradesman by giving him the M35, who decided to put an add in LVA without ever using it.
Through a lack of time, it took me about ten years to put it back on the road, with final success.