Cars was the first Pixar feature in the Cars movie series.
The film premiered in 2006 and follows Lightning McQueen, an ambitious race car who becomes stranded in Radiator Springs while traveling to a championship event. John Lasseter directed the movie, which was produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures.
Cars introduced the franchise’s central characters, including Mater, Sally Carrera, Doc Hudson, Luigi, Guido, and the residents of Radiator Springs. Its story combines racing, friendship, and the transformation of a declining Route 66 town. The film became the foundation for later sequels and related short-form projects.
Cars 2 followed in 2011, expanding the setting into an international spy adventure. Cars 3 arrived in 2017 and returned to a more direct racing and character-focused story. Planes belongs to a related Disneytoon Studios spin-off, not the main Pixar Cars feature trilogy.