Cars

Joe Ranft

Kiel Murray

Phil Lorin

Jorgen Klubien

Jorgen Klubien

Bonnie Hunt

Larry the Cable Guy

Cars is a 2006 American computer-animated comedy-adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Directed and co-written by John Lasseter from a screenplay by Dan Fogelman, it was Pixar's final independently-produced film before its purchase by Disney in May 2006. Set in a world populated entirely by anthropomorphic cars and other vehicles, the film stars the voices of Owen Wilson, Paul Newman (in his final acting role), Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Tony Shalhoub, Cheech Marin, Michael Wallis, George Carlin, Paul Dooley, Jenifer Lewis, Guido Quaroni, Michael Keaton, Katherine Helmond, John Ratzenberger and Richard Petty. Race car drivers Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher and car enthusiast Jay Leno (as "Jay Limo") voice themselves.

Cars premiered on May 26, 2006 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina and was theatrically released in the United States on June 9, 2006 to critical and commercial success, grossing $462.2 million worldwide against a budget of $120 million. It was nominated for two Academy Awards including Best Animated Feature and won the Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film. The film was released on DVD on November 7, 2006 and on Blu-ray in 2007. The film was accompanied by the short One Man Band for its theatrical and home media releases. Merchandise based on the film (including scale models of several of the cars) broke records for retail sales of merchandise based on a Disney/Pixar film, bringing an estimated $10 billion for 5 years after the film's release. The film was dedicated to Joe Ranft, the film's co-director and co-writer, who died in a car accident during the film's production.

A sequel titled Cars 2 was released on June 24, 2011 and a spin-off film titled Planes, produced by Disneytoon Studios, was released on August 9, 2013, which was followed by its own sequel, Planes: Fire & Rescue, which was released on July 18, 2014. A series of short animated films titled Cars Toons debuted in 2008 on Disney Channel and Disney XD. A second sequel titled Cars 3 was released on June 16, 2017.

## Plot

In a world populated by anthropomorphic talking vehicles, the last race of the Piston Cup championship ends in a three-way tie between retiring veteran Strip "The King" Weathers, frequent runner-up Chick Hicks, and brash rookie Lightning McQueen. The tiebreaker race is scheduled for one week later in California. Lightning is desperate to win the race, since it would not only make him the first rookie to win the Piston Cup, but also allow him to leave the unglamorous sponsorship of Rust-Eze, a bumper ointment company, and allow him to take The King's place on the prestigious and lucrative Dinoco team. Eager to start practice in California as soon as possible, he pushes his big rig, Mack to travel all night long. While Lightning is sleeping, Mack drifts off, and is startled by a gang of four reckless street racers, causing Lightning to fall out the back of the trailer and onto the road. Lightning wakes in the middle of traffic and speeds off the highway in search of Mack, but instead ends up lost in the run-down desert town of Radiator Springs, where he inadvertently ruins the pavement of its main road in his panic.

After being arrested and impounded overnight, Lightning is ordered by the town judge Doc Hudson to leave town immediately. However, the local lawyer Sally Carrera, requests that Lightning should instead be given community service to repave the road, to which Doc reluctantly agrees. Lightning tries to repave the road as quickly as possible but does so shoddily, and is forced to repave the road again. During this time, he befriends several of the town's residents and learns that 40 years ago, Radiator Springs was a popular stop along the old U.S. Route 66, but it was bypassed with the construction of Interstate 40 and mostly forgotten. Lightning also discovers that Doc is the "Fabulous Hudson Hornet", a three-time Piston Cup winner whose racing career ended with an accident in 1954 after which he was quickly forgotten by the sport. Lightning finishes repaving the road, reinvigorating the town's residents, and spends an extra day in Radiator Springs with his new friends. Suddenly, Mack and the media descend on the town, having been tipped off to Lightning's location. Lightning reluctantly leaves to reach California in time for the race, while Sally chastises Doc upon discovering that he was responsible for tipping off the media.

At the tiebreaker, Lightning races distractedly as he misses Sally and his other new friends, and he soon falls into last place. He is then surprised to discover that Doc has taken over as his crew chief, and several other cars from Radiator Springs are helping in the pit. Inspired and recalling tricks he learned from Doc and his friends, Lightning quickly emerges to lead the race into the final laps. At the last minute Chick, refusing to lose to The King again, side swipes The King and sends him into a dangerous crash. Recalling Doc's fate, Lightning stops just short of the finish line, which allows Chick to win, and drives back to push The King over the finish line. The crowd and media condemn Chick's victory but are impressed with Lightning's sportsmanship. Though offered the Dinoco sponsorship, Lightning declines and insists on staying with Rust-eze out of loyalty for their past support. Back at Radiator Springs, Lightning returns to reunite with Sally and announces that he will be setting up his racing headquarters there, putting Radiator Springs back on the map.

## Voice cast

*Main article: List of Cars characters*

* Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen, described by John Lasseter in the *Los Angeles Times* as "A hybrid between a stock car and a more curvaceous Le Mans endurance racer."
* Paul Newman as Doc Hudson, a 1951 Hudson Hornet who is later revealed to be the Fabulous Hudson Hornet and is Newman's last non-documentary role before retirement in 2007 and death in 2008.
* Bonnie Hunt as Sally Carrera, a 2002 996-series Porsche 911 Carrera.
* Larry the Cable Guy as Mater, a 1951 International Harvester L-170 "boom" truck with elements of a mid-1950s Chevrolet. One-Ton Wrecker Tow Truck.
* Tony Shalhoub as Luigi, a 1959 Fiat 500.
* Cheech Marin as Ramone, a 1959 Chevrolet Impala Lowrider.
* Michael Wallis as Sheriff, a 1949 Mercury Club Coupe (police package).
* George Carlin as Fillmore, a 1960 VW Bus.
* Paul Dooley as Sarge, a 1941 Willys model jeep, in the style used by the US Military.
* Jenifer Lewis as Flo, a 1957 Motorama show car.
* Guido Quaroni as Guido, a custom forklift, resembling an Isetta at the front.
* Richard Petty as Strip "The King" Weathers, a 1970 Plymouth Superbird.
* Michael Keaton as Chick Hicks, described by Pixar as a generic 1980s stock car resembling a 1978–88 General Motors G-Body such as a Buick Regal or a Chevrolet Monte Carlo.
* Katherine Helmond as Lizzie, a 1923 Ford Model T.
* John Ratzenberger as Mack, a 1985 Mack Super-Liner.
* Joe Ranft as Red, a 1960s style fire engine (most closely resembles a mid-1960s) and Jerry Recycled Batteries, the mean Peterbilt truck who Lightning McQueen mistakes for Mack while lost. These were Ranft's last two voice roles before his death in August 2005.
* Jeremy Piven (US) / Clarkson (UK) as Harv, Lightning McQueen's agent, never seen on-screen.
* Bob Costas as Bob Cutlass, a 1999 Oldsmobile Aurora, announcer for the Piston Cup races and friend of Darrell Cartrip.
* Darrell Waltrip as Darrell Cartrip, a 1977 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Piston Cup announcer and friend of Bob Cutlass.
* Humpy Wheeler as Tex Dinoco, a 1975 Cadillac Coupe de Ville and owner of Dinoco.
* Lynda Petty as Lynda Weathers, Strip Weathers's wife.
* Dale Earnhardt Jr. as "Junior" #8.
* Michael Schumacher as Michael Schumacher Ferrari.
* Tom and Ray Magliozzi as Rusty and Dusty Rust-eze, a 1963 Dodge Dart and a 1967 Dodge A100 and the owners of Rust-eze.
* Richard Kind and Edie McClurg as Van and Minny, a 2003 Ford Windstar and a 1996 Dodge Caravan.
* Lindsey Collins and Elissa Knight as Mia and Tia, the identical twin 1992 Mazda MX-5 ("Miata") sisters.
* Mario Andretti as Mario Andretti #11.
* Sarah Clark as Kori Turbowitz.