Feature cars spice up Houston AutoRama show

One of the largest and longest running auto shows in the United States, the three-day AutoRama is turning Houston's George R. Brown Convention Center into a custom car paradise, with the Kruse Collector Car Auction, live music and autograph sessions. Some 60 vendors are bringing over 600 vehicles to the Houston show, which is expected to attract more than 100,000 visitors, said Peter A. Toundas, CEO of Championship Auto Shows Inc., which produces over 20 Autorama and World of Wheels events annually. This year, the organizer is expanding the event with the Outdoor AutoRama, showcasing about 200 hundred classic, custom, hot rod and new vehicles outside the convention center. A group of high performance cars were on display at the show. One big feature of this year's show is the "Tribute to the Batmobile" display with three generations of the iconic vehicles, said Toundas. The Batmobile is the automobile of DC Comics superhero Batman. The car has evolved along with the character from comic books to television and films. The collection at the Houston show ranges from 1966 version piloted by Adam West and Burt Ward in the TV series to one seen in the "Batman" 1989 film and the formidable "Tumbler" model that appeared in Christopher Nolan' s "Batman Begins." After viewing this year' s featured lineup, visitors can also check out special exhibits including the three days of Bigfoot Monster Truck Car Crushing demonstrations, car hopping competitions, the sport bike action thrill show and RC Drag Racing.