Pixar released the first Cars movie in 2006.
Cars premiered at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, on May 26, 2006, before its wide theatrical release in the United States on June 9. It was directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Joe Ranft and served as Pixar’s seventh feature film.
The story follows Lightning McQueen, a rookie race car who damages a road in Radiator Springs and is ordered to repair it. The production drew heavily on American road culture, classic automobiles, and the visual character of Route 66 communities.
Cars is often mixed up with Cars 2, which arrived in 2011, and Cars 3, which arrived in 2017. It also introduced characters who later appeared in the Cars Toons shorts, merchandise, and other franchise media.