For Sale at Auction: 1970 Citroen M35 in Carmel, California

Chassis No. 00EA0124
Citroen No. 5026 351525
Body No. 31179668
Engine No. XU000013

Faithful to its long-standing reputation for engineering innovation, Citroen became an early advocate of the Wankel rotary engine. The French manufacturer partnered with NSU to establish COMOTOR in Germany to manufacture this new powerplant.

Developed specifically as a rolling laboratory for the 995 cc single-rotor engine, the M35 took the form of a striking 2+2 coupe. The model also benefited from Citroen's renowned hydropneumatic suspension and front disc brakes, while its bodywork was entrusted to Heuliez, the French coachbuilder renowned for its expertise in low-volume production and notably for creating the one-off Lamborghini Pregunta.

Citroen entrusted a limited number of carefully selected customers with the prototypes as part of a long-term evaluation program. Owners were asked to report their driving experiences directly to the company's engineering department, while Citroen backed the rotary engine with a comprehensive two-year warranty. Reinforcing the car's experimental status, the rear window bore the inscription: "This Citroen M35 rotary-engine prototype is undergoing long-term testing in the hands of a Citroen customer."

Despite the technical promise of the rotary engine, the M35 proved hampered by high fuel and oil consumption. Production was discontinued just two years after its introduction, with only 267 examples officially completed. To avoid the cost of maintaining these experimental cars, Citroen later repurchased and scrapped most examples, leaving the M35 an exceptionally rare model today.

Delivered new in France wearing the M35's distinctive Gris Nacre Metallise finish (Pearl Gray Metallic), No. 124 spent most of its life on the roads of Dordogne. Toward the end of this period, its bodywork was restored and repainted by Citroen of Bergerac before entering the collection of a private owner in Lyon, where it remained on static display from 2004 to 2013. It was subsequently acquired by Peter Mullin through the joint efforts of Dutch and French Citroen specialists, who described the car as being in "excellent original condition with just 18,500 original kilometers". Imported to the United States, it joined the renowned Peter Mullin Collection and Museum before passing to its current owner following the collection's public sale. A 2025 Classic Auto Appraiser report, available on file, rates the car as "Excellent" throughout, with the engine and undercarriage assessed as "Very Good."