U.S. Route 66 inspired the setting and roadside history of Pixar’s Cars.
Route 66 was one of the original highways in the United States, running from Chicago to Santa Monica after its creation in 1926. It became famous for linking communities across the country and for the diners, motels, service stations, and attractions that served travelers. Much of that traffic declined after newer interstate highways redirected motorists away from older sections of the road.
Cars turns that history into the fictional town of Radiator Springs. In the film, a new interstate bypasses the town, leaving its businesses and landmarks neglected. Lightning McQueen’s forced stay there allows him to discover the community’s history and the human value represented by its residents.
Pixar’s creative team traveled along Route 66 while researching the film. They studied real landscapes, buildings, signs, and local stories, then transformed those observations into an anthropomorphic car world. The film does not take place in a real Route 66 town; Radiator Springs is fictional, but its decline is rooted in the highway’s real cultural history.