Cars (2006)

This is the movie that started the series involving a race car called Lightning McQueen.

Summary
-Lightning McQueen is a high-flying race car who gets separated from his carrier and ends up in a sleepy desert town called Radiator Springs, where he learns what friends and family really means

Cast
-Owen Wilson: Lightning McQueen
-Paul Newman: Doc Hudson
-Bonnie Hunt: Sally Carrera
-Larry the Cable Guy: Mater
-Cheech Marin: Ramone
-Tony Shalhoub: Luigi
-Guido Quaroni: Guido
-Jennifer Lewis: Flo
-Paul Dooley: Sarge
-Michael Wallis: Sheriff
-Michael Keaton: Chick Hicks
-Jeremy Clarkson: Harv (UK release)
-Jeremy Piven: Harv
-Edie McClurg: Minnie
-Richard Petty: The King
-George Carlin: Fillmore

Did You Know?
-This was the last film to feature Paul Newman before his death from lung cancer in 2008

-The license plate on Luigi is 445-108. These are coordinates for the Ferrari factory in Modena, Italy

-"Doc Hudson" is based off of real life NASCAR pioneer Herb Thomas, who was known for driving Hudson Hornets to victory in 1951 and 1953. In 1954, he was beaten out by Lee Petty, father of NASCAR legend Richard Petty. Two major crashes in 1955 and 1956 ended Thomas' career



Herb Thomas

Hudson Hornet

-At the start of the movie, two cars named Mia and Tia flash their headlights at Lightning. This is a nod to adult racing fans, who know that the phrase "flashing their headlights" refers to female fans lifting their tops and showing their breasts

-Animators wanted Lightning McQueen to be cocky and arrogant. For reference, they looked to people like Kid Rock, Joe Namath and Muhammad Ali

-Lightning's agent Harv is voiced by Jeremy Piven. When the movie was released in the UK, Harv was voiced by outspoken Top Gear host Jeremy Clarkson

Jeremy Piven (US Release of Cars)

Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear (UK Release of Cars)

-Lightning McQueen features a yellow stripe on his bumper. In auto racing, a yellow stripe indicates a drivers' rookie status

-The license plate on Fillmore says 51237. This is a reference to George Carlin's birthday, which is 5/12/1937.

-There are various styles of car in this movie. Here are some of them:


-Chick Hicks is based on a 1987 Buick Grand National NASCAR racer

-The King is a 1970 Plymouth Superbird, one of Richard "The King" Petty's most famous rides

-Mack is based on a Mack Superliner semi-truck. The character of Mack was originally going to be a -Peterbilt, but was changed, because John Ratzenberger's father drove a Mack in Chicago

-"Snot Rod", a 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T, is a classic supercharged muscle car (the graphics and grill badge are changed to S/R in the film).

-Fillmore is a late 1960s Volkswagen Type 2, otherwise known as the Transporter, or "Microbus". It was a very popular vehicle among hippies in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and even made its way into popular culture

-Sarge is a 1940s Willys MB Jeep

-Ramone is a 1959 Chevrolet Impala, a very popular car with the low riders

-Luigi is a 1959 Fiat 500

-Mater is a 1955 Chevrolet Stepside tow truck

-Sally is a 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera (Type 996)

-Michael Schumacher is a Ferrari F430.

-Any insects seen in the movie are in the shapes of 1960s-era Volkswagen Beetles, nicknamed "Bugs"

 

 

 

-The premiere of this movie took place at the Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina

-Rascal Flatts was the first country music group to release a song for a Disney movie. They covered the song "Life is a Highway"