In Pixar’s Cars, Radiator Springs is portrayed as a town near historic U.S. Route 66.
The film uses Route 66 as both a setting and a major theme. Lightning McQueen reaches Radiator Springs after accidentally leaving the interstate, and the forgotten town’s decline is tied to the construction of a faster bypass. The story therefore connects the characters’ personal renewal with the revival of an old road.
Route 66 historically ran from Chicago to Santa Monica and became famous through road trips, roadside businesses, and popular culture. Pixar artists researched the route and incorporated visual ideas from real towns, landscapes, motels, bridges, and service stations.
Radiator Springs is fictional, so it is not a literal town on a map. Its landmarks combine inspirations from several Route 66 communities. The film also helped renew public interest in the real highway’s surviving attractions and historic stretches.