In Pixar’s Cars, what name does Lightning McQueen give the town where he is stranded?

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

Radiator Springs is a fictional town on historic U.S. Route 66. McQueen reaches it after being separated from his hauler, Mack, and accidentally damaging the town’s main road. The local judge orders him to repair the road before he can leave, turning the town into the setting for the movie’s central character journey.

The town’s residents include Doc Hudson, Sally Carrera, Mater, Luigi, Guido, Ramone, and Flo. As McQueen spends time with them, he learns that Radiator Springs is more than an obstacle between him and the Piston Cup final. Its decline reflects the effect of a newer interstate highway diverting traffic away from old Route 66 communities.

Radiator Springs is often associated with real Arizona Route 66 towns such as Seligman and Peach Springs, which influenced the film’s scenery and atmosphere. It is not a real incorporated town; it is a fictional Cars location inspired by the American Southwest.