Cars 3 introduced Cruz Ramirez as Lightning McQueen’s trainer. The film follows McQueen as he tries to remain competitive against a new generation of technologically advanced racers.
Cruz begins as a highly capable trainer at the Rust-eze Racing Center, where she uses modern data, simulators, and fitness exercises. Her relationship with McQueen changes when the story reveals her own abandoned dream of becoming a racer. She eventually competes herself and becomes an important successor figure.
Cars 3 was released in 2017 and was directed by Brian Fee, who had worked as a storyboard artist on earlier Pixar films. Cristela Alonzo voices Cruz in the English version. The film’s story focuses on mentorship, changing technology, and deciding when a career should evolve rather than simply end.