Cars

***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 , it is Pixar's final independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney in May 2006. Set in a world populated entirely by 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 and Jhon Ratzenberger. Race car drivers Dale Earnhardt, Jr. , Mario Andretti, Michael Schumacher and car enthusiast Jay Leno (as "Jay Limo") voice themselves.

## Plot

In a world populated by anthropomorphic vehicles, the last race of the Piston Cup championship ends in a three-way tie between retiring veteran Strip "The King" Weathers, infamous runner-up Chick Hicks , and rookie Lightning McQueen. The tiebreaker race is scheduled for one week later at the Los Angeles International Speedway in California. McQueen is desperate to win the race, since it would not only make him the first rookie to win a championship, but also allow him to leave the unglamorous sponsorship of Rusteze, a bumper ointment company, and allow him to take The King's place as the sponsored car of the lucrative Dinoco team. Eager to start practice in California as soon as possible, he pushes his bif rig, Mack, to travel all night long. While McQueen is sleeping, Mack drifts off, and is startled by a gang of , causing McQueen to fall out the back of the trailer and onto the road. McQueen wakes in the middle of traffic and speeds off the highway to find Mack, but ends up lost in the run-down desert town of Radiator Springs, while inadvertently ruining the pavement of its main road.

After being arrested and impounded overnight (while guarded by a rusty, but friendly, tow truck named Mater), McQueen is ordered by the town judge, Doc Hudson, to leave town immediately. The local lawyer, Sally Carrera, requests that McQueen should instead be given community service to repave the road, to which Doc reluctantly agrees. McQueen tries to repave the road in a single day, but turns out shoddy, and he is forced to repave the road again, which takes several days to complete. During this time, he befriends several of the cars, and learns that Radiator Springs used to be a popular stopover along the old U.S Route 66, but with the construction of interstate 40 bypassing it, the town literally vanished from the map. McQueen also discovers that Doc is the "", a three-time Piston Cup winner, whose racing career ended after an accident in 1954, and quickly forgotten by the sport. McQueen finishes repaving the road, which has invigorated the cars to improve their town, and spends an extra day in Radiator Springs with his new friends, before Mack and the media descend on the town, led by a tip to McQueen's location. McQueen reluctantly leaves with the media to get to California in time for the race, while Sally chastises Doc after discovering that he had tipped off the media to McQueen's whereabouts, not wanting to be discovered by them instead.

At the Los Angeles International Speedway, McQueen's mind is not fully set on the race, and he soon falls into last place. He is surprised to discover that Doc Hudson, who is decked out in his old racing colors, has taken over as his crew chief, along with several other friends from Radiator Springs to help in the pit. Inspired and recalling tricks he learned from Doc and his friends, McQueen quickly emerges to lead the race into the final laps. But at the last minute, Hicks, refusing to come behind Weathers again, side swipes Weathers, and sends him into a dangerous spin, causing him to crash. Seeing this and recalling Doc's fate, McQueen stops just short of the finish line, allowing Hicks to win, and drives back to push Weathers over the finish line. The crowd and media condemn Hicks' victory, but are nonetheless impressed with McQueen's sportsmanship. Though offered the Dinoco sponsorship deal, McQueen declines, insisting on staying with Rusteze as an appreciation of their past support. Later, back at Radiator Springs, McQueen returns and announces that he will be setting up his headquarters there, helping to put Radiator Springs back on the map.

## Cast

* Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen
* Paul Newman as Doc Hudson
* Bonnie Hunt as Sally Carrera
* Larry the Cable Guy as Mater
* Tony Salhoud as Luigi
* Cheech Marin as Ramone
* Michael Willis as Sheriff
* George Carlin as Fillmore
* Paul Dooley as Sarge
* Jenifer Lewis as Flo
* Guido Quarion as Guido
* Richard Pretty as Strip 'The King' Weathers
* Michael Keaton as Chick Hicks
* Katherine Helmond as Lizzie
* John Ratzenberger as Mack
* Joe Raft as R ed

## Locations

* U.S.
* Route 66
* Radiator Springs

## Species

* Living Car
* Living Helicopter