Cars introduced Lightning McQueen, the race car at the center of Pixar’s franchise.
Released in 2006, the film follows McQueen during the final race of the Piston Cup season and his unexpected stay in Radiator Springs. He begins as a self-focused rookie but learns about friendship, history, and sportsmanship.
Cars was Pixar’s seventh feature film. John Lasseter directed it with Joe Ranft and Jorgen Klubien credited for the story. The film combined computer-animated vehicles with a road-movie structure influenced by Route 66 travel and American racing culture.
Cars 2 expanded the story into an international spy adventure, while Cars 3 returned to McQueen’s racing career and his response to a younger generation of competitors. The original film remains the franchise’s starting point.