HOUSTON - A large car auction has been?held in the fourth largest US city of Houston, offering collector car-lovers and potential buyers a close look at more than 7,500 classic and exotic cars.

Mecum Auctions, which is returning to Houston for its second annual collector car auction, generates increasing excitement as the consignment list consistently grows, now more than 30 percent larger than last year's auction, according to event organizers.

A huge variety of collector vehicles, from investment-grade to entry-level, are presented at the three-day event. Highlights include 25 consummate classics from the Gerald Byrd Collection with everything from muscle machines to time-honored, luxury rides.

More than 30 handpicked selections from the expansive and diverse group of vehicles in the Lynn Wardley Collection also join the lineup. The Gerald Byrd Collection features cars ranging from a 1930 Studebaker Dictator to a 2009 Audi R8. The Lynn Wardley Collection features more custom rides than Byrd's. A handful of street rods are for sale as well as a few muscle cars.

Collector cars roll to the Houston auction from all over the country as well as form cities in Texas, said Sam Murtaguh, managing director of the auction.

The Mecum Auction Company has been specializing in the sale of collector cars for 26 years, now offering more than 15,000 vehicles per year and averaging more than one auction each month, company officials said.