Cars 3 is the third feature film in Pixar's Cars franchise.
Released in 2017, Cars 3 follows Lightning McQueen as he faces a younger generation of technologically advanced racers. Jackson Storm's success forces McQueen to rethink his training and racing strategy, leading him to work with Cruz Ramirez.
Brian Fee directed the film, which marked his feature-directing debut after working as a storyboard artist on earlier Pixar productions. The movie deliberately returned to the emotional and racing-centered tone of the original Cars after the international spy focus of Cars 2.
Cars 3 is distinct from the Cars Toons short-film series and from Disney's Planes spin-off films. It is also not simply a retitled version of Cars 2: its central story concerns athletic aging, mentorship, and the future of McQueen's career.