The Pixar film set in the fictional town of Radiator Springs is Cars.
Released in 2006, Cars follows Lightning McQueen, an ambitious race car competing for the Piston Cup. While traveling to California, he becomes separated from his transport truck and accidentally ends up in Radiator Springs, a once-busy desert community along historic U.S. Route 66.
Lightning damages the town’s road and is ordered to repair it before he can leave. During his stay, he meets residents including Mater, a rusty tow truck; Sally Carrera, a Porsche who wants to revive the town; and Doc Hudson, a retired racing champion. The community gradually teaches Lightning to value friendship over fame.
The town’s decline reflects the real history of many Route 66 communities. Radiator Springs was bypassed by a new interstate, diverting travelers and weakening local businesses. Viewers sometimes confuse the setting with the film’s broader world of anthropomorphic vehicles, but Radiator Springs is specifically the central town in Cars.