At the end of 1967, as part of an extended partnership with the German MAN, Saviem introduced the SM (Saviem-MAN) ranges.

All the SM range (except for the SM5) initially used the 597 engine manufactured at Saviem's Limoges plant, and later its evolutions: the 797 and the 798.

It incorporated MAN-licensed direct injection technology and was only used on the SM6 and some military vehicles from 1970 onwards.

In 1970, the SM range mounted the 797 and 798 (also called 597-05 and 598) engines, derived from the 597.

The clutch was a manually-operated single-plate Verto Division Ferodo 12 LF 39 (except for the SM8 4x4).