Cars Toons

***Cars Toons*** is a television series of American computer-animated short films produced by Pixar. It features the main characters Lightning McQueen and Mater from Pixar's *Cars* franchise. Larry the Cable Guy reprises his role as Mater, while Keith Ferguson replaces Owen Wilson as the voice of Lightning McQueen, until *The Radiator Springs 500 ½*, in which Wilson reprises his role.

The series premiered on October 27, 2008 on both Disney Channel, Toon Disney and ABC Family. Not exclusive to television, the shorts were also released on home media and/or as theatrical shorts. The series ended on May 20, 2014, with *The Radiator Springs 500 ½* being the final short to be made.

## Premise

### *Mater's Tall Tales*

All *episodes* in *Mater's Tall Tales* follow a shared formula: Each episode opens with Mater popping out of his garage door and declaring, "If I'm lyin', I'm cryin'!" (or a variation thereof as seen on the home media and television releases) before cutting to the episode's title card.

Each episode then properly begins with Lightning McQueen and Mater seeing something that results in the latter proceeding to tell the former a tall tale about something he supposedly did in the past, before the action shifts to the flashback of Mater's story. At a midway point, the action briefly shifts back to Mater and McQueen in which the former proclaims that the latter was also involved by saying, "Don't you remember? You was there too!" (or also some other variation thereof). The flashback then resumes with McQueen's sudden and usually unwilling participation in the story's events. After Mater finishes telling his tall tale (with the exception of *Tokyo Mater*), McQueen denies the fact that Mater's tale is real and Mater replies, "Well, suit yourself!" (or a variation thereof) before one or more characters/elements involved in the story coincidentally appear to McQueen's shock, paradoxically suggesting that Mater's story really happened.

Each episode ends with Mater and McQueen posing in their corresponding story's costumes, with the exception of *Tokyo Mater*. All episodes also feature Mia and Tia and various pitties in supporting roles (with the exception of *Time Travel Mater*).

### *Tales from Radiator Springs*

All episodes of *Tales from Radiator Springs* follow the comedic antics and adventures of McQueen, Mater and their friends in Radiator Springs, following the events of *Cars 2*.

## Production

After the success of *Cars*, production of *Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales* began in 2006. The first nine shorts were produced by Pixar, while all the following shorts were produced by Pixar's subsidiary, Pixar Canada. *Tokyo Mater* premiered in theaters in the US with *Bolt* on December 12, 2008. The short is the first Disney/Pixar production presented in Disney Digital 3D.

In addition to *The Radiator Springs 500 ½*, which was released in 2014, director Rob Gibbs revealed at the 2013 D23 Expo a fifth T*ales from Radiator Springs* episode, titled *To Protect and Serve*. The short was expected to debut in 2014 on Disney Channel, but to date this has not occurred. Gibbs died in April 2020, leaving the already uncertain future of the short in doubt.

## Cast

### *Mater's Tall Tales*

#### Principal Cast

* Larry the Cable Guy as Mater
* Keith Ferguson as Lightning McQueen
* Lindsey Collins as Mia
* Elissa Knight as Tia

#### Supporting Cast

* Michael Wallis as Sheriff (*Tokyo Mater*)
* Mach Tony Kobayashi as Kabuto (*Tokyo Mater*)
* Robert Ito as Ito-San (*Tokyo Mater*)
* Stacy Keach as Skipper (*Air Mater*)
* Jonathan Adams as Judge Davis (*Air Mater*)
* John Michael Higgins as Stanley (*Time Travel Mater*)
* Katherine Helmond as Lizzie (*Time Travel Mater*)

#### Archival Recordings

* George Carlin (uncredited) as Fillmore (*Tokyo Mater*, *Unidentified Flying Mater*)

#### Uncredited Cast

* Guido Quaroni as Guido (*Tokyo Mater, Unidentified Flying Mater*)
* Bret Parker as Rescue Squad Ambulance (*Rescue Squad Mater*)
* Bob Scott as Rescue Squad Trooper (*Rescue Squad Mater*)
* Laraine Newman as Nurse GTO (*Rescue Squad Mater*)
* Peter Sohn as Padre (*El Materdor*)
* Frank Welker as Chuy & Bulldozers (*El Materdor*)
* Sonoko Konishi as Chinese Car (*Tokyo Mater*)
* Mickie McGowan as Female Car (*Tokyo Mater*)
* Danny Mann as Dr. Albert (*Unidentified Flying Mater*)
* David Kaye as Referee Pitty (*Monster Truck Mater*)
* Daniel Gerson as Tormentor's Biggest Fan (*Monster Truck Mater*)
* Corey Burton as I-Screamer (*Monster Truck Mater*)
* Jess Harnell as Captain Collision (*Monster Truck Mater*)
* Bob Scott as Rasta Carian (*Monster Truck Mater*)
* Dee Bradley Baker as Dr. Feel Bad (*Monster Truck Mater*)
* Jim Cummings as Paddy O'Concrete (*Monster Truck Mater*)
* Frank Welker as Dr. Frankenwagon's Monster (*Monster Truck Mater*)
* Paul Eiding as Dex (*Heavy Metal Mater*)
* Josh Cooley as Roger (*Moon Mater*)
* Teddy Newton as Impala XIII (*Moon Mater*)
* Angus MacLane as Ed (*Moon Mater*)
* Jan Rabson as NASCA Truck (*Moon Mater*)
* Torbin Xan Bullock as Big D (*Mater Private Eye*)
* Carol Bach y Rita as Carmen (*Mater Private Eye*)
* Danny Mann as Clyde (*Mater Private Eye*)
* Jess Harnell as Claude (*Mater Private Eye*)
* John Cygan as Stinky (*Mater Private Eye*)
* Danny Mann as Sparky (*Air Mater*)
* Lori Alan as Blue Hawk (*Air Mater*)
* John Cygan as Red Hawk (*Air Mater*)
* Paul Eiding as Green Hawk (*Air Mater*)
* Bob Bergen as Black Hawk (*Air Mater*)
* Jan Rabson as Kernel Co. Pitties (*Air Mater*)

### *Tales from Radiator Springs*

#### Principal Cast

* Keith Ferguson as Lightning McQueen
	+ In *The Radiator Springs 500 ½*, Owen Wilson voices Lightning McQueen.
* Larry the Cable Guy as Mater
* Bonnie Hunt as Sally Carrera
* Tony Shalhoub as Luigi
* Guido Quaroni as Guido
* Cheech Marin as Ramone
* Jenifer Lewis as Flo
* Lloyd Sherr as Fillmore
* Paul Dooley as Sarge
* Michael Wallis as Sheriff
* Katherine Helmond as Lizzie
* Jerome Ranft as Red

#### Supporting Cast

* Josh Cooley as Vroomaroundus Bugus (*Bugged*)
* Steve Purcell as Sandy Dunes (*The Radiator Springs 500 ½*)
* Danny Mann as Shifty Sidewinder (*The Radiator Springs 500 ½*)
* Jess Harnell as Blue Grit (*The Radiator Springs 500 ½*)
* John Cygan as Idle Threat (*The Radiator Springs 500 ½*)
* Wendi McLendon-Covey as Didi (*To Protect and Serve*)
* Aziz Ansari as Mike (*To Protect and Serve*)

## Release

### Home media

A DVD and Blu-ray compilation of the first nine shorts, titled *Cars Toons: Mater's Tall Tales*, was released on October 31, 2010, with *Moon Mater* and *Mater Private Eye* being created exclusively for this set. Choosing the "Play All" option from the menu gives each short (except for *Mater the Greater*, which plays first) unique intros.

The remaining two episodes of *Mater's Tall Tales*, *Air Mater* and *Time Travel Mater*, were released as part of the *Pixar Short Film Collection Volume 2*. The first three episodes of *Tales from Radiator Springs*, *Hiccups*, *Bugged* and *Spinning* were released on YouTube, and the last episode of *Tales from Radiator Springs*, *The Radiator Springs 500 ½, was released as part of the* Pixar Short Films Collection Volume 3*.*

## Die-casts

### 1:55 scale

#### First released 2009

* Burnt Lightning McQueen
* Cannonball Mater
* Dalmatian Mia
* Dalmatian Mia (SDCC variation)
* Dalmatian Tia
* Dalmatian Tia (SDCC variation)
* Daredevil Lightning McQueen with Teeth
* High Dive Mater
* Lug
* Lug with Banner
* Mater the Aviator
* Mater the Greater
* Nutty
* Nutty with Banner
* Nurse GTO
* Nurse Kori Turbowitz
* Nurse Mia
* Nurse Tia
* Orderly Pitty #1
* Orderly Pitty #2
* Rescue Squad Ambulance
* Rescue Squad Chopper
* Rescue Squad Mater
* Rescue Squad Trooper

#### First released 2010

* Big Fan
* Buck the Tooth Vendor
* Cho
* Daredevil Lightning McQueen
* Dr. Mater
* Dr. Mater with Mask Up
* Dragon Lightning McQueen
* Dragon Lightning McQueen with Oil Stains
* El Materdor
* Frightening McMean
* Ito-San
* Kabuto
* Kabuto Ninja
* Komodo
* Lug with Oil Cans
* Mater Fan Mia
* Mater Fan Tia
* Nutty with Oil Cans
* Paki
* Props McGee
* Rocket Mater
* Soaked Lightning McQueen
* Teki
* Tokyo Mater with Flames
* Van-San
* Yokoza

#### First released 2011

* Beanie Hat Mater
* Bye Bye Kar
* Captain Munier
* Chuy
* Corporal Kim
* Dex
* Dr. Abschlepp Wagen
* Dr. Feel Bad
* Drift Party Mater
* Eddie
* Heavy Metal Lightning McQueen
* Heavy Metal Mater
* I-Screamer
* I-Screamer's Biggest Fan
* Kaa Reesu
* Manji
* Mator with Oil Cans
* Music Video Mater
* Padre
* Patokaa
* Rasta Carian
* Rasta Mater
* Referee Pitty with Bell
* Rocky
* Rodney the Rocker
* Stripped Kabuto
* Tabinu
* The Tormentor
* Tokyo Mater with Oil Stains
* Tormentor's Biggest Fan
* Yojimbo

#### First released 2012

* Autonaut Lightning McQueen
* Autonaut Mater
* Aviator Mater
* Burnt Autonaut Lightning McQueen
* Falcon Hawk #1
* Falcon Hawk Black
* Lightning McQueen Hawk
* Mater Hawk
* NASCA Truck
* Propwash Junction Biplane
* Rescue Chopper

#### First released 2013

* Time Travel Lightning McQueen
* Time Travel Mater
* Time Travel Stanley
* Tokyo Mater
* Wedding Day Lizzie
* Wedding Day Stanley

#### First released 2014

* Blue Grit
* Idle Threat
* Kabuto with Flames
* Off-Road Lightning McQueen
* Sandy Dunes
* Shifty Sidewinder
* Stanley Days Ramone

#### First released 2015

* Bucky Brakedust
* Didi 05
* Driving School Lightning McQueen
* Mike 07
* Stanley Days Fillmore
* Stanley Days Sarge

### Precision Series

#### First released 2016

* Precision Series Guido (playset variation)

### Mini Racers

#### First released 2021

* Mator
* Roger
* Tokyo Mater

#### First released 2022

* Dragon Lightning McQueen
* UFM Mater