Cars introduced Lightning McQueen, the main character of Pixar's Cars franchise.
Released in 2006, the film follows McQueen, an ambitious rookie race car who becomes stranded near the small town of Radiator Springs. His efforts to leave quickly are changed by friendships with residents including Mater, Sally Carrera, and Doc Hudson.
The film established the franchise's central world of talking vehicles, its fictional Piston Cup competition, and the contrast between racing celebrity and community life. Lightning begins as a self-centered competitor and becomes more considerate through his experiences in town.
Cars 2 later shifts toward an international spy adventure, while Cars 3 returns to McQueen's racing career and his response to a younger generation of competitors. The animated film Planes is set in a related vehicle-centered world but is not a Cars film and did not introduce McQueen.