Cars was released in 2006 as Pixar’s seventh feature-length animated film.
Pixar released Cars in the United States on June 9, 2006. It followed Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles in the studio’s feature-film lineup. The film was directed by John Lasseter, who had also directed Toy Story and Toy Story 2.
The project grew from Pixar’s interest in American road culture, automobiles, and historic Route 66. Filmmakers researched real roads and roadside communities, then built a fictional world in which vehicles form the entire population. That approach combined technical challenges in animating reflective surfaces with a familiar coming-of-age story.
Cars was followed by Cars 2 in 2011 and Cars 3 in 2017. It also launched a wider franchise including short films, television specials, video games, merchandise, and attractions. Its 2006 release date is distinct from the 1995 release of Toy Story, the film’s title-number reference.