NEW YORK With gas prices flirting with $4 a gallon and the economy teetering on the edge of recession/in recession, the New York International Auto Show is dominated by small, fuel-efficient cars.

Indeed, the overall impression is that the U.S. is joining the rest of the world in moving away from the big trucks/SUV for the simple reason that it costs too much to run them.

But that does not apply to one group of vehicles: the exotic supercars whose displays at the show are always crowd pleasers.

Bentley and Lamborghini have the biggest displays this year, with Aston Martin and Porsche alongside. Ferrari had only one black, rather dusty, lightened version of its 430 on display at the press preview on Wednesday, but no doubt it has been cleaned up for the general public.

And behind Lamborghini and Porsche, Audi had a dramatic display of its cars, including its R8, which is not only built on a Lambo Gallardo platform, but won the 2008 World Car award in the high-performance category.

Bentley has three cars on display: the Continental Flying Spur and Continental GT Speed, both of which cost about $200,000, and the Brooklands, which costs about $350,000 — although the white model on display retails for just under $400,000.

Lamborghini has a couple of Murcielagos and a Gallardo on display, along with its usual leggy models, who appear to do little more than look beautiful and occasionally open or close a door. But who needs to know the details of these cars beyond abstract performance numbers?

I suppose they are meant to be driven, but there’s a reason why you don’t see too many of them. I mean, where would you park it other than at the private golf club or gated community where you and I are not allowed?

Porsche has a solid display that includes a racer from the 1960s — the RS-60 — and a current Porsche RS Spyder Le Mans racer as well as its range of distinctive high-performance cars.

But while Porsche may seem to be more of a sports car than an exotic, the $191,700 price tag of the 911 GT2 — 0-to-60 mph in 3.6 seconds and top speed of 204 mph — clearly puts it in the supercar category.

Aston Martin was displaying its exotics, with a black DBS and white V8 Vantage Coupes both standouts.

And then just beyond the exotics was the Chrysler 300C Hollywood, its answer to the Mercedes Maybach. The enormous limo is divided into two areas — the front, which can open up, where the driver sits, and the fully enclosed rear with two full seats and a cocktail cabinet.

The breakout of the front and back is a throwback to the Upstairs-Downstairs world of pre-WWII vehicles. Mercedes has had problems with sales of its Maybach and the fact that Chrysler provides little information about the Hollywood may reflect a limited future.

pelsworth@projo.com