Topolino

**Topolino** is Luigi's uncle who always has advice for anyone needing a solution to their problem. He used to live in Italy where he ran Topolino Tires, but moved to Radiator Springs to make a better life for his nephew.

## Background

Topolino was built in Italy in 1937 and lived there, operating his tire store, Topolino Tires. He loved to help others and give them advice, never taking anything in return. As he grew older, his nephew Luigi began working for him at the tire store, along with his friend, Guido. Topolino wanted to give his nephew a better life, and with some encouragement from Luigi, he decided to embark on a risky business venture. He left his nephew to go out to America and find a place to expand their tire business. As soon as he found a place, he would write a letter for Luigi and Guido to leave their home in the village and cross the Pacific Ocean to come to America. Topolino found the best place in beautiful Radiator Springs to build the tire store of his dreams. When Luigi and Guido arrived in Radiator Springs, Topolino planned to have a grand opening ceremony. The only problem was that he had trouble getting the store ready in time. Topolino realized that he was getting up there in mileage and it was time to give the chance of his dreams to Luigi so he and Guido could complete Topolino's original vision. Guido built the impressive 'Leaning Tower of Tires' and Luigi named the store Luigi's Casa Della Tires.

Topolino continued to help his nephew with the family business for years to come, but once Interstate 40 was built in 1967, customers grew fewer and fewer. This saddened Topolino, so much so that he began to decline in health. He became more stubborn and wouldn't take help from anybody. He wouldn't even get his regular tune-ups. As customers grew fewer, Mr. Windshield, another resident of Radiator Springs, had to close his windshield store down and move away. He was the only car left who knew anything about fixing engines and so one day Topolino finally broke down. Luigi offered to have Mater tow Topolino to the nearest mechanic shop, but Topolino couldn't bear the thought of being a burden on his friends. He was stubborn and always gave advice to his friends. He never took anything from them and he certainly wasn't going to this time. He asked Guido to move him into Luigi's spare garage outback, where he would sit, rotting for decades... Luigi told the local townsfolk that his uncle had gone back to Italy to restart his old family business in the Italian village, but it was a lie.

Sometime after Lightning McQueen put Radiator Springs back on the map, somebody drove into Luigi's spare garage for something and discovered a rotting corpse of Topolino. The town Sheriff investigated and the locals concluded that Luigi and Guido must have been guilty of holding his uncle hostage all those many years. Despite being good friends, Sheriff was forced to arrest Luigi and Guido, and lock them up in the Radiator Springs Municipal Impound until they could have a court case to clear their names. Meanwhile, Doc Hudson began the exhausting task of repairing Luigi's dear uncle. At the trial, the jury found Luigi guilty, reasoning that he must have known his uncle was in his own garage and since he never reported it to the Sheriff, he was hiding the evidence. It also didn't help that Luigi had previously mocked some of the jury members, especially Ramone and Lizzie. As the sentence was about to be given, a restored Topolino busted through the doors alongside Doc Hudson to stand in defense of his nephew. Topolino was forced to tell his old friends the truth about what had happened to him and how it was his own fault for being so stubborn. Topolino learned that even old wise cars like himself must take help from their friends sometimes.

Since then, Topolino has been able to enjoy life and gets occasional tune-ups from Doc Hudson. His family's business has grown and he is once again able to help his nephew and Guido wherever he can. He just wishes he hadn't missed seeing Guido's record-breaking pit stop at the Los Angeles International Speedway.

## Trivia

* Topolino means 'little mouse' in Italian