A Must See if you are a Car Nut

Rating: 9/10 (16 June 2006)

I am not usually attracted to animation features (the last one I saw was Toy Story) but Cars had so much pre-publicity in my car magazines - Road & Track, Automobile - one article even dealt with getting Porsche's approval for Bonny Hunt's "character", well, I had to see it.
What impressed me most was the attention to detail. While I am not a rabid NASCAR fan even I know Richard Petty's Plymouth number 43 (voiced by the King himself) , and while watching this animation can easily see why NASCAR is so popular. The engine sounds were so realistic & matched to the vehicles.
CAUTION: If you miss even 15 seconds of dialogue you'll miss a clever pun. Even the motel in the movie is a clever take off on Rt 66's famous Wigwam Motel.
There are no people in the movie - only cars and other vehicles. It is a world of talking vehicles.
And they cleverly made the cars movement believable using a lot of suspension travel.
The car's voices were so well matched to the car models! Cheech Marin is the voice of a low rider 59 Chevy Impala, a cameo by Arnold Schwartzenegger with an H1 Hummer, Michael Schumacher in what else but a Ferrari, and George Carlin in a 60s VW Van complete with peace symbols. Richard Petty was the Plymouth of course. Paul Newman is the wise old Hudson Hornet. Speaking of detail the Hudson's blue color was an actual Hudson color according to one of the magazine articles.
Can a Porsche Carrera find true happiness with a NASCAR race car? Does a particular NASCAR race car find the true meaning of life?
You'll have to watch the movie.
Bill