Cars was the first Pixar film to feature Lightning McQueen.
Lightning McQueen is the central character of the 2006 animated feature Cars. He is a rookie stock car who begins the story focused on winning the Piston Cup and building his public image. After becoming stranded in Radiator Springs, he learns about friendship, responsibility, and the town’s forgotten place on Route 66.
Lightning returns in the sequels Cars 2 and Cars 3. Cars 2 places him in the World Grand Prix and an international spy adventure, while Cars 3 focuses on his struggle against faster next-generation racers and his changing role in the sport.
Planes is a separate animated film from Disneytoon Studios rather than a Pixar feature, although it is set in a related world of anthropomorphic vehicles. Lightning’s racing number is 95, a number that also references Pixar history: it recalls 1995, the year Toy Story was released.