In Pixar's Cars, what town is located along historic U.S. Route 66?

Radiator Springs is the fictional town along historic U.S. Route 66 in Pixar's Cars.

The town is based on communities and landscapes along Route 66 in the American Southwest. Its story centers on a once-busy roadside settlement that lost traffic after Interstate 40 diverted travelers away from the original highway. Lightning McQueen enters Radiator Springs after accidentally damaging the road and is ordered to repair it.

The town combines several visual and cultural inspirations, including Arizona landscapes, classic roadside businesses, and Route 66 landmarks. Its residents include Sally Carrera, Doc Hudson, Mater, Flo, Ramone, and Sheriff.

The film uses Radiator Springs to contrast McQueen's fixation on speed with the value of friendship and local history. Route 66 is a real highway known as the Will Rogers Highway, although Radiator Springs itself is fictional. The Cars version of the road is therefore an imaginative setting grounded in real American geography.