Cars introduced Lightning McQueen and Mater to audiences.
Pixar released Cars on June 9, 2006. The film follows Lightning McQueen, a talented but self-centered rookie race car, after he becomes stranded in Radiator Springs. There he meets Mater, a rusty tow truck whose friendliness and loyalty gradually influence him.
Cars was Pixar’s seventh feature film and was directed by John Lasseter, with Joe Ranft serving as co-director. The story combines a sports-racing plot with a road-trip setting inspired by American highways and Route 66. Its world is populated entirely by vehicles, with cars and trucks expressing personality through voice, movement, design, and automotive details.
Cars 2 expanded the setting into an international spy adventure, while Cars 3 returned to Lightning’s racing career and introduced Cruz Ramirez as a major character. The original film remains the correct starting point for both Lightning and Mater’s film appearances.