A mechanic by trade, Mr. Robert W. Shaw said it was a profession he always knew he would pursue -- even when his family steered him toward the tiny mechanical works of the antique clock trade.

He owns and operates Shaw Enterprises Ltd., a luxury car dealership and repair shop located on Market Lane off Serpentine Road.

From 1985 to 1992 the dealership carried BMWs and now Mr. Shaw carries the Volvo 440.

Over 20 years ago, Mr. Shaw started his own business in Bermuda, after coming to the Island in 1965.

In 1985 he entered the luxury car market by becoming a Bavarian Motor Works dealer.

But the car size requirements of the day, 64 inches wide by 167 inches in length, meant the BMW 316, 318, and 320, the models he wanted to sell, were just a bit too big.

"I could see there was a market for that type of car, it was a toss up between BMW and Mercedes, I knew the BMW was a good car.. .but nobody builds a luxury car for Bermuda,'' he said, referring to the size and horsepower requirements of Government.

"In the early years I had to modify the length, it was quite an ordeal, I had to cut all four wheel arches one-half inch,'' he said looking back on the work.

Mr. Shaw said he approached the auto maker and told them about what would be necessary and they approved.

They also said they would be happy with sales if Mr. Shaw could sell one a month.

From 1985 to 1992, the dealership sold 79 BMWs, 16 in the first year.

And the company would later change the dimensions resulting in cars just to big, they were five and one-half inches too long, to long to work with, Mr.

Shaw noted.

The requirements today are 67 inches by 169 inches, he added.

For a few years the showroom floor, which is still graced with a BMW logo, was empty.

There are other reminders of Mr. Shaw's association with BMW, the office includes a BMW clock, a calender with one of the car company's premier models, the limited series Z1.

There's also a mosaic of BMW-related photos hanging on the office wall -- one of the pictures -- the Premier, the Hon. Sir John Swan, taking delivery of a BMW 728.

Shaw Enterprises now offer the Volvo name with three 1994 2 litre 440 Volvos currently in stock. The 95s are available but there's about a three month wait after ordering.

For all intents and purposes, the 95s are unchanged from the 94s, save for some options, he explained.

But this car comes in two and one half-inches too long, he noted.

The length can be modified to fit Bermuda standards, and like the modifications to the BMWs, the integrity of the car is not compromised, he said.

"Volvo knew we would have to modify it, I visited Volvo Export in North London,'' he said, to discuss the changes to the car.

And how much does one of the these cars cost? Add the duty, 75 percent on the first $12,000 and 150 percent on the remainder, plus the sticker price, and the total comes in around $45,000.

According to Mr. Shaw, there is little room for profit on selling these cars -- he has sold 10 Volvos -- but the owners bring the vehicles back for service and after an occasional mishap, he noted.

"You could not live on the sales, that is why we do all the service and repair work, we do not farm out any of the repairs, we service the whole car from mechanical to electrical and our parts department is well stocked,'' he commented.

The company also includes a power systems division, started in 1987, authorised for sales and service of Cummins Onan generators.

LUXURY -- Shaw Enterprises' owner Mr. Robert Shaw, in October 1993 returned to the car market as a dealer for the Volvo 440. The auto dealer/repair business had sold BMWs until 1992 but changes from the company resulted in cars just to big to modify for Bermuda. The Volvo also needs some adjustments to fit Bermuda's requirements.