This will be the end of the Monte Carlo rally British team spokesman

The British cars were disqualified because they used non-dipping single filament quartz iodine bulbs in their headlamps, in place of the standard double filament dipping glass bulbs, which are fitted to the series production version of each model sold to the public.

According to new rules introduced at the end of last year, any car entering the rally must come off a standard production line, with at least 5,000 cars being built to a similar specification.

The British cars were equipped with standard headlamps - but the only way of dipping them was to switch to non-standard fog lamps.

Richard Shepherd, from the BMC, said: "There is nothing new about the lights at all. They have been used in our rallies, on rally cars, including the Monte for two years now and we've had no trouble at all in the past."

The confusion arose because the rally organisers initially said the race would be run under the old rules - and only announced the switch after entries had been accepted.

The BMC says it spent �10,000 on preparing for the Monte Carlo rally - and is now considering withdrawing from next year's race.

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