Cars is a 2006 animated family film produced by Pixar and directed by both John Lasseter and Joe Ranft. It is the seventh Disney·Pixar feature film, and Pixar’s final, independently-produced motion picture before its purchase by Disney. Set in a world populated entirely by anthropomorphic cars and other vehicles, it features voices by Owen Wilson, Paul Newman (in his final non-documentary feature), Bonnie Hunt, Cheech Marin, Jenifer Lewis, Tony Shalhoub, John Ratzenberger, George Carlin, Larry the Cable Guy and Michael Keaton as well as voice cameos by several celebrities includingJeremy Piven, Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear, Richard Petty, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Bob Costas, Darrell Waltrip, Jay Leno, Michael Schumacher, Tom and Ray Magliozzi from NPR’s Car Talk, and Mario Andretti. The film is also the second Pixar film—after A Bug’s Life—to have an entirely non-human cast.
Plot
Cars takes place in a world populated by anthropomorphic motor vehicles. The film begins with the last race of the Piston Cup championship, which ends in a three-way tie between retiring veteran Strip Weathers, perennial runner-up Chick Hicks, and rookie Lightning McQueen. The tiebreaker race is scheduled for one week later at the Los Angeles International Speedway. Lightning is desperate to win the race, as it would allow him to leave the unglamorous sponsorship of Rust-Eze, a rust treatment for old cars, 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, Lightning pushes his big rig, Mack, to travel all night long. While McQueen sleeps, the exhausted Mack drifts off, and is startled by a gang of reckless street racers, causing McQueen to fall out the back of the truck. McQueen wakes in the middle of traffic, and speeds off the highway to find Mack, ending up in the run-down town of Radiator Springs and inadvertently tearing up the pavement of its main road.
After being arrested and impounded overnight, McQueen is ordered by the town’s judge and doctor, Doc Hudson, to leave town immediately. The local lawyer Sally Carrera insists that McQueen be givencommunity service to repave the road, which Doc agrees. McQueen tries to repave it quickly in a day, but the job is shoddy and McQueen is forced to restart the job again, taking several days to complete. During this time, he becomes friends with several of the cars, and learns that Radiator Springs was once a popular stopover along U.S. Route 66, but with the construction of Interstate 40 bypassing the town, it was effectively erased from the map. McQueen also discovers that Doc is really the Fabulous Hudson Hornet, a three-time Piston Cup winner forced out of racing after an accident, and quickly forgotten by the sport. McQueen finishes the road, which has invigorated the cars to improve their town, and spends an extra day in town 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 himself.
At the speedway, McQueen’s mind is not fully on the race, and he soon falls into last place. He is surprised to discover that Doc Hudson, 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. Hicks, refusing to lose, sends Weathers into a dangerous accident. 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 and give praise to McQueen’s sportsmanship. Though offered the Dinoco sponsorship deal, McQueen declines, insisting on staying with his current sponsors as appreciate of their past support. Later, back at Radiator Springs, McQueen returns and announces that he will set up his headquarters there, helping to put Radiator Springs back on the map.
Cast
- Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen, described by John Lasseter in the LA Times as “A hybrid between a stock car and a more curvaceous Le Mans endurance racer.”[4]
- Larry the Cable Guy as Mater, a 1951 International Harvester L-170 “boom” truck[5][6] with elements of a mid-1950s Chevrolet.[7] One-Ton Wrecker Tow Truck.
- Paul Newman as Doc Hudson, a 1951 Hudson Hornet, later revealed to be the Fabulous Hudson Hornet.
- Bonnie Hunt as Sally Carrera, a 2002 996-series Porsche 911 Carrera.
- Tony Shalhoub as Luigi, a 1959 Fiat 500.
- Cheech Marin as Ramone, a 1959 Chevy 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. The car’s design was based on Richard Petty’s 1970 Plymouth Superbird
- Michael Keaton as Chick Hicks, described by Pixar as a generic 1980s stock car.[7] Strongly resembles a 1978–88 General Motors G-Body such as Buick Regal or Grand National.
- 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 truck (most closely resembles a mid-1960s Pirsch pumper but also resembles American LaFrance models).