Who directed Pixar's first Cars movie?

John Lasseter directed Pixar's first Cars movie. He co-directed the studio's earlier Toy Story and A Bug's Life and became one of Pixar's most important creative leaders.

Cars was developed from Lasseter's interest in road trips, American car culture, and Route 66. The film combines a sports story with a travel narrative: Lightning McQueen begins as a self-centered rookie and learns about friendship, history, and community in Radiator Springs.

Lasseter directed Cars with Joe Ranft, who also worked as a writer and story artist on many Pixar productions. Ranft voiced several characters and was deeply involved in the film's story development. The movie was dedicated to him after his death in 2005.

Cars premiered in 2006 and was the final Pixar feature directed by Lasseter before his later work on Cars 2. Lasseter also served as chief creative officer at Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios for part of his career.