Route 66 inspires the fictional town of Radiator Springs in Pixar’s Cars.
The film presents Radiator Springs as a once-busy roadside community bypassed after the construction of a faster interstate route. That premise reflects the real history of towns along U.S. Route 66, many of which lost traffic when newer highways redirected travelers.
Route 66 originally connected Chicago and Santa Monica. It was established in 1926 and became one of the best-known roads in the United States, later gaining strong associations with road trips, roadside businesses, and popular culture.
Radiator Springs is fictional, but its scenery and landmarks draw on real places and landscapes along the historic highway. The town’s story is therefore not a literal account of one location; it is a composite tribute to Route 66 communities and their revival as heritage destinations.