Route 66 inspired the setting and road-trip spirit of Pixar's Cars.
The historic U.S. highway ran from Chicago to Santa Monica and became famous for connecting communities across the American West. Although much of the original route was bypassed by newer interstate highways, its roadside businesses, signs, motels, and attractions remain important parts of American travel history.
Cars uses that tradition through Radiator Springs, a small desert town whose fortunes decline after a newer highway diverts traffic away. Lightning McQueen's accidental stay there becomes the film's central change of perspective. The town combines visual ideas from real Route 66 locations, including roadside architecture and desert landscapes.
Radiator Springs is fictional, so it should not be confused with a single real town. Pixar artists and filmmakers traveled along Route 66 while researching the movie. The highway is also called the Will Rogers Highway and the Main Street of America, but “Route 66” is the canonical answer here.