Citroen in British saloon car racing

I'm a 100% citroenist from France and I'm curious about some info I got.
Can you tell me if it has been some participation of citroen cars in british saloon cars
I've heard about mike beckwith on SM, does anyone got pics results or anything about this driver and his car?
Was it ever any DS, CX, or GS in saloon car?
It certainly was a BX but I got no info about that?
Was it any trophy for Visa like it was in France, Spain or Portugal?

Hope you can help me to learn more and more about citroen
Best regards ;)

Mike Beckwith was a car salesman with Normand, Park Royal, North London. He raced a Lotus 23 which they supplied. I was in touch with Mike in the early 90's, but I have no idea what has become of him!

Mike Beckwith drove an SM as did Howden Ganley, they were in the "Avon Motor Tour of Britain" around 1973/74, but I could have these facts wrong

Visas were rallied (in their own series I believe- Trophee Visa?) around the early '80s, one such driven by John Wetherly , not sure of any others.

Weatherley drove a Visa Trophee on the British Championship for a couple of seasons around 82/3. Mark Lovell then drove a 4wd Visa Mille Pistes on the British Championship in '84 (finished 12th on the '84 RAC) Were these officially Citroen GB-backed entries- I've got a vague memory they might have been?

According to 'A-Z of Works Rally Cars' by Graham Robson (1994) there were 3 variants of Visa rallied- 'Trophee' and 'Chrono' in 1982/3 (both fwd) and finally the 'Mille Pistes' in 1984- 1.4 litres/145bhp/4wd- the entry is illustrated with a shot of Weatherly's Visa Trophee on the '82 Scottish

Going a bit off-topic, there were also a variety of prototype Visas campaigned on French national events that allowed non-homologated cars- a mid-engined version rings a vague bell....


Didn't Beckwith's SM compete in production saloons as well as the Tour of Britain?

Also I've got a very vague recollection that in the early years of the 2-litre regs in the BTCC around 1990/1, there may have been some rumour (probably in Autosport?)of a privateer Citroen BX project that never materialised

Andy Rouse always believed the BX 16v would make the basis of a great touring car, but Citroën UK rejected his overtures. A privateer named Gary Cole subsequently built a racing BX that was supposedly destined for the BTCC, but I think he raced it in road saloons instead. I remember MN carrying a picture of it testing at Goodwood.

The Mike Beckwith SM did race in Production Saloons, circa 1971/72.

Indeed Beckwiths Citroen SM raced in Productions saloons , among one reason it was novel is there was a ride hieght requirement which just meant the SM was raised to go over the block and immediately lowered again after and completely legal .
However it did understeer a bit well quite a bit actually , it used to use Dennis Thornes Firenza as a way of helping it coner lol .
Quite a sight .


Pete

The aforementioned Mr Beckwith