The first Cars film released by Pixar was titled Cars.
Cars premiered in 2006 and introduced Lightning McQueen, Mater, Sally Carrera, Doc Hudson, and the residents of Radiator Springs. Its story begins with Lightning’s attempt to win the Piston Cup, but a wrong turn strands him in the forgotten roadside town. The film combines a sports story with a road movie and a meditation on communities affected by changing transportation routes.
Cars was followed by Cars 2 in 2011 and Cars 3 in 2017. The title is intentionally simple and refers to the film’s vehicle characters, who speak, work, race, and form relationships. It should not be confused with Cars 2, which moves the action into an international spy adventure, or Cars 3, which focuses on a new generation of racers. Cars was Pixar’s seventh feature film and was released after The Incredibles and before Ratatouille.