MOTORING enthusiasts will gather in Paisley tonight as the town stages one of the start legs for the 2018 version of the historic Monte Carlo Rally.

Dozens of cars will line up outside Paisley Abbey to set off on the 1,500-mile trip to the south of France.

This will be the fifth time the town has been a starting point for the rally.

Drivers will be competing in three separate categories.

The Historique class is being run for the 21st year and is restricted to car models which competed in the Monte Carlo Rally between 1955 and 1980.

It will run over eight days on open public roads, with the cars and crews having undertaken a series of 14 demanding test stages in the mountains of southern France.

The Classique event is for older cars, dating from 1911 to 1969, and follows the same route to Monte Carlo but does not include any test stages, the goal simply being to finish in Monte Carlo after checking in at a series of control points on the way.

And the event will also feature the popular Monte Heritage Runs, which will see motoring enthusiasts in a range of cars from over the years take in a series of short classic routes in Scotland.

All of the competing cars will be on show outside the abbey from around 3pm, with the rally getting under way at 6pm.

For more information about the event, go online at www.monte.scot.