Not exactly a "world-class" Auto Show?

This weekend marks the beginning of the Houston Auto Show and the Chron's Brett Clanton gives us a peek at why some are saying it's less than world class...

There will be plenty of cars and trucks to drool over this weekend at the Houston Auto Show. But there also will be a few glaring absences.

Some of the highest-profile vehicles making the rounds at auto shows this year won't be stopping in Houston — again.

Never mind that Houston is the fourth-largest city in the nation, one of the biggest U.S. markets for new-vehicle sales or that the nine-day Houston Auto Show attracts more than half a million visitors.

With a few exceptions, automakers save their best stuff for more prominent auto shows in Detroit, Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles and a handful of other regional and international events.

I'll be heading out there on Saturday to gaze, although I'm not in the market to buy. I just like seeing what's new, and I always like shows like this. I'm not surprised however that Houston doesn't get its share of the "hot" new concepts, especially hybrid concepts. This is a city where the Truck and SUV are still king. While Hybrids and small cars are all the rage, when you're heading to a show that is basically a consumer's show you should expect to see what auto dealer's expect to see the consumer to demand.

Despite many of the "hot" concepts being present, the Auto Show is a heck of a deal for $10 bucks, and its indoors on a day when its expected to rain.