What is the name of the German scientist working with Miles Axlerod in Pixar’s Cars 2?

Professor Zündapp is the German scientist working with Miles Axlerod in Pixar’s Cars 2.

Professor Zündapp is a major participant in the conspiracy surrounding the World Grand Prix. He works with Miles Axlerod and uses the race to help create a crisis involving Allinol, the alternative fuel promoted by Axlerod. The character is designed as a compact German-engineered car and functions as one of the film’s principal villains.

Zündapp’s surname is a reference to Zündapp, a German motorcycle manufacturer founded in 1917. The name therefore connects the character to real German mechanical history, although the character himself belongs to the fictional Cars world.

The umlaut is part of the character’s commonly rendered name: Professor Zündapp. His role is distinct from Miles Axlerod, who is the public organizer and hidden mastermind of the larger scheme. Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell investigate the conspiracy, while Mater becomes involved accidentally.