What was the title of Pixar’s first Cars short film released before the feature sequel?

Mater and the Ghostlight was Pixar’s first Cars short film released before the feature sequel. It premiered in 2006 as a companion to the original Cars movie and centers on a campfire-style ghost story told in Radiator Springs.

The short follows Mater after the residents prank him with a glowing blue light. Its humor depends on Mater’s confidence, the town’s folklore, and the contrast between his boastful storytelling and sudden fear.

Mater and the Ghostlight was included with home-video editions of Cars and later distributed through other Pixar collections. It helped establish the franchise’s short-form tradition, which continued with Cars Toons and later Cars on the Road.