Government and a local car dealership are at loggerheads over whether a recently imported model of car is too big for the Island.

Holmes Williams and Purvey have sold some $3 million worth of Honda CRVs since the cars arrived on the Island in March, but with an overall length of 182 inches based on measurements taken by this week, the cars are seven inches over the legal maximum of 175 inches.

Seventy of the $45,000 cars have already been sold, but Transport Minister Ewart Brown said the problem centres around the bulky spare tyre encased at the rear of the car which, when included, makes the car too long.

The version of the Honda CRV presented to TCD in March did not include the tyre, Dr. Brown said, and was subsequently approved. Government only recently discovered the cars all sport the rear tyre, however, making them an illegal size for Bermuda?s roads.

?The Honda CRV, as the vehicle was presented to TCD (without the spare wheel), is not too large, but when the spare wheel is attached, it is too large,? Dr. Brown said.

He said the situation is ?unfortunate? for purchasers who thought that the legal size included the spare wheel, because they were misinformed.

CRVs now on the road with the spare tyre attachment are illegal, and Dr. Brown said that fact will not change.

?The law will not be changed to allow even larger vehicles,? he said. ?The current size limits were agreed to by the car dealers. They will not be surprised that we have asked the Police to enforce the law.?

Dr. Brown did not specify what action would be taken, however, while Police would only say they are looking into the matter.

?At present there will be consultations with all agencies involved to come up with a resolution to this matter,? Police media relations spokesman Dwayne Caines said yesterday.

HWP?s general manager Alan Brooks denied that the Honda CRVs are too long and questioned why TCD approved the vehicle.

?They were approved by TCD for use on Bermuda?s roads ? the dimensions were on the brochure,? he said.

?When a new vehicle comes in, we follow strict procedures to gain permission to import them and nothing was different as far as the CRV was concerned. We went through our usual due diligence with any new vehicle brought on the road and nothing was unusual with the CRV.?

When contacted by HWP?s lawyer Justin Williams added: ?The Act provides that the length of the vehicle shall be taken as that specified by the manufacturer as being the standard length for the particular model.

?In the case of the Honda CRV, the length specified by the manufacturer as the standard length is that measured bumper to bumper, which is 171.7 inches. Accordingly the vehicle is within the legal limit (a maximum of 175 inches) and therefore was properly approved by the Transport Control Department to be on Bermuda?s roads.?

Acting Director of TCD Richard Outerbridge refused to comment when contacted on the matter.