In Pixar’s Cars, what is the name of Lightning McQueen’s hometown after he settles there?

In Pixar’s Cars, Lightning McQueen settles in Radiator Springs.

Radiator Springs is the fictional desert town where Lightning is stranded after accidentally damaging the local road. He is ordered to repair it, and the work introduces him to the town’s residents, including Doc Hudson, Sally Carrera, Mater, and Ramone.

The town’s story reflects the decline of communities bypassed by modern highways. In the film, Radiator Springs loses visitors when Interstate 40 replaces the old road route. Lightning’s arrival brings attention back to the town and helps reconnect it with the wider world.

Radiator Springs is often associated with a single real American location, but it is a fictional setting inspired by several places and landmarks along U.S. Route 66. Pixar artists researched the historic highway during the film’s development.