History Franchise / Cars

* AerithAndBob: Many characters have normal names, such as Ramone and Flo, but other cars might have names that are based on what car they are (Stanley is a Stanley Steamer), some other kind of PunnyName, or otherwise weird when applied to a person (does "Tow Mater" sound like it would fit anything other than a tow truck?).

* AuthorAppeal: John Lasseter admits he made this movie cause he likes cool cars. As a teenager, he worked at his father's car dealership during the summer, so the subject also had some personal value.

* BilingualBonus: Guido (voiced by Guido Quaroni) ''only'' speaks in (correct) Italian.
** The second movie takes this up to eleven as the action goes to Japan, France and Italy.
* [[BreakoutCharacter Breakout Car-acter]]: If it hasn't been obvious in the past several years since the first movie, Mr. Tow Mater.
** WordOfGod is that the genesis for ''Cars 2'' came while John Lasseter was doing international promotional tours for ''Cars'', then musing, "How would Mater respond to this?"

* DarkerAndEdgier: Cars 2. As it includes more deaths, violence, and self doubts.
** Holy '''crap''', the teaser trailer for ''Cars 3'', which shows that the movie will revolve around Lightning getting into a serious injury in a much, much grittier tone than Pixar's usual output. Although it's suggested by the actual press release that the story will be inspirational in terms of tone (since it revolves around Lightning taking a fan of his under his wing to help him get back into shape to win a major race), [[NeverTrustATrailer the teaser makes it look like]] Lightning actually ''gets killed'' in a racing accident!

* MeaningfulName: A lot of the names are from Creator/IsaacAsimov's short story "Sally", which is about sentient (robotic) cars.

* SceneryPorn: It ''is'' a Pixar work.

*** The sequel shows us '''''beautiful''''' scenes of Italy, France, Japan, and England!
*** Cars 3 has a scene similar to the aforementioned one in the first film that's even more beautiful, showing the advancements the animation giant has made over the past 11 years, looking even more photorealistic than it did in 2006.

* ShownTheirWork: Watch the DVD extras to see the amount of work that went into even minor details that virtually nobody will notice.
** This is especially noticed in the second film. [[spoiler:Especially when many of the Mooks turn out to be Lemons and Mater's spiel about car parts.]]

* TechnologyPorn: With all the cars in this movie, is this a surprise?
** With both cars and spies, this is taken up to eleven in the sequel, especially whenever Finn [=McMissile=] appears.

* TheSmurfettePrinciple: The male-to-female ratio is 9:3. In the first film, [[ViewerGenderConfusion the racecar sponsoring RevNGo]] is actually the only female competing in the Piston Cup, and in the sequel, Carla Veloso, the Brazilian racecar is the only female competing in the World Grand Prix. In the threequel, Louise Nash was the only female racer from Doc's time, [[spoiler:and Cruz is the only female racer in the Florida 500 after she takes over for Lightning.]]

A series of computer-animated films from Creator/{{Pixar}} and initially directed by John Lasseter, who also directed ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'', ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'', and ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife''. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin True to the title]], the stories take place in [[AlternateUniverse a world entirely populated by anthropomorphic cars and other vehicles]] -- aside from plants, there are no organic life-forms of any sort. Just about everything else is reinterpreted into automotive counterparts, such as insects becoming [[StealthPun Volkswagen Beetles]] and rock formations in the shape of car bodies.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' (2006)
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars 2}}'' (2011)
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars 3}}'' (2017)

* ''[[WesternAnimation/PixarShorts Mater and the Ghostlight]]'' (2006): follow-up to ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}''.

** ''WesternAnimation/{{Cars}}'' opens with a race Lightning [=McQueen=] is desperate to win in part because it would make him the first rookie to win the Piston Cup. This leads to him overextending, allowing his rivals to catch up and ending the race in a three-way tie that has to be resolved with a tie-breaker race. [[spoiler:By the time the tie-breaker race happens, Lightning has undergone CharacterDevelopment and gives up the chance to win in order to help an injured rival finish his last race with dignity after Chick Hicks knocks him off the road, which severely wrecks him.]]

** Cars: [=McQueen=] and Chick Hicks. They were both selfish and arrogant, though [=McQueen=] started to [[JerkToNiceGuyPlot change throughout the movie]], Chick still stayed as one.

* AerithAndBob: Many characters have normal names, such as Ramone and Flo, but other cars might have names that are based on what car they are (Stanley is a Stanley Steamer), some other kind of {{PunnyName}}, or otherwise weird when applied to a person (does "Tow Mater" sound like it would fit anything other than a tow truck?).

* AwesomeMcCoolname: Lightning [=McQueen=] for starters. The other racecars are no slouches in the naming department either.

A series of computer-animated films from Creator/{{Pixar}} and initially directed by John Lasseter, who also directed ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'', ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' and ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife''. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin True to the title]], the stories take place in [[AlternateUniverse a world entirely populated by anthropomorphic cars and other vehicles]] -- aside from plants, there are no organic life-forms of any sort. Just about everything else is reinterpreted into automotive counterparts, such as insects becoming [[StealthPun Volkswagen Beetles]] and rock formations in the shape of car bodies.

* {{Bookends}}: So far, each film starts and ends with a race, either competitive or friendly. On a side note, [[spoiler: both the first and third films end with a racing legend becoming a rookie's mentor (Doc Hudson, a retired racer becomes one to Lightning, whilst Lightning himself becomes one to Cruz Ramirez).]]

** [=McQueen=] learns [[spoiler:drifting and backwards driving from Doc and Mater, respectively]]. They naturally surprise and shock Chick Hicks.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Cars 2. As it includes more deaths, violence and self doubts.

* LicensedGame: Five in total; ''Cars: The Video Game'', ''Cars Mater-National'', ''Cars Race-O-Rama'', ''Cars 2: The Video Game'' and ''Cars 3: Driven to Win''.

*** The sequel shows us '''''beautiful''''' scenes of Italy, France, Japan and England!

** This is especially noticed in the second film. [[spoiler:Especially when many of the Mooks turn out to be Lemons and Mater's spiel about car parts]].
* TheSmurfettePrinciple: The male-to-female ratio is 9:3. In the first film, [[ViewerGenderConfusion the racecar sponsoring RevNGo]] is actually the only female competing in the Piston Cup, and in the sequel, Carla Veloso, the Brazilian racecar is the only female competing in the World Grand Prix. In the threequel, Louise Nash was the only female racer from Doc’s time, [[spoiler: and Cruz is the only female racer in the Florida 500 after she takes over for Lightning.]]

A series of computer-animated films from Creator/{{Pixar}} and initially directed by John Lasseter, who also directed ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'', ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' and ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife''. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin True to the title]], the stories take place in [[AlternateUniverse a world entirely populated by anthropomorphic cars and other vehicles]] -- aside from plants, there are no organic life-forms of any sort. Just about everything else is reinterpreted into automotive counterparts, such as insects becoming [[StealthPun Volkswagen Beetles]] and rock formations in the shape of car bodies.

* AerithAndBob: Many characters have normal names, such as Ramone and Flo, but other cars have names that are based on what car they are (Stanley is a Stanley Steamer) or are some other kind of {{Punny Name}}.
** There are also a ''ton'' of characters with normal first names, but have last names that are car puns, [[AllThereInTheManual including many background characters who are only named in additional materials outside the films]].

* AerithAndBob: Many characters have normal names, such as Ramone and Flo, but other cars have names that are based on what car they are (Stanely is a Stanely Steamer) or are some other kind of {{Punny Name}}.
** There are also a ''ton'' of characters with normal first names, but have last names that are car puns, {{AllThereInTheManual including many background characters}}.

** The second movie takes this UpToEleven as the action goes to Japan, France and Italy.

** With both cars and spies, this is taken UpToEleven in the sequel, especially whenever Finn [=McMissile=] appears.

A series of computer-animated films from Creator/{{Pixar}} and directed by John Lasseter, who also directed ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory'', ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' and ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife''. [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin True to the title]], the stories take place in [[AlternateUniverse a world entirely populated by anthropomorphic cars and other vehicles]] -- aside from plants, there are no organic life-forms of any sort. Just about everything else is reinterpreted into automotive counterparts, such as insects becoming [[StealthPun Volkswagen Beetles]] and rock formations in the shape of car bodies.

%%* LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters

* [[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed No Celebrity Cars Were Harmed]]: Many characters are in-universe automobile versions of real celebrities, voiced by the same people they were based from. See the individual movie entries below for details.

* PunnyName: Done with many of the characters who are automotive versions of their real selves, like Jay Limo, Darrell Cartrip, Jeff Gorvette, David Hobbscap, and Brent Mustangburger. Averted with Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s cameo as his #8 DEI Chevrolet Monte Carlo: he is called "Junior", which is used often by NASCAR broadcasts.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Cars 2. As it includes more deaths, violence and self doubts. Holy '''crap''', the teaser trailer for ''Cars 3'', which shows that the movie will revolve around Lightning getting into a serious injury in a much, much grittier tone than Pixar's usual output. Although it's suggested by the actual press release that the story will be inspirational in terms of tone (since it revolves around Lightning taking a fan of his under his wing to help him get back into shape to win a major race), [[NeverTrustATrailer the teaser makes it look like]] Lightning actually ''gets killed'' in a racing accident!

* {{Jerkass}} Each film has one or two.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Holy '''crap''', the teaser trailer for ''Cars 3'', which shows that the movie will revolve around Lightning getting into a serious injury in a much, much grittier tone than Pixar's usual output. Although it's suggested by the actual press release that the story will be inspirational in terms of tone (since it revolves around Lightning taking a fan of his under his wing to help him get back into shape to win a major race), [[NeverTrustATrailer the teaser makes it look like]] Lightning actually ''gets killed'' in a racing accident!

* BreatherEpisode: Most of the franchise consists of the main characters wanting to race and the motivation for most villains is to either win a race or to humiliate the heroes in said race. Compared to most other Pixar movies and franchises, the stakes of the Cars franchise are fairly low because of this.

* BreatherEpisode: Most of the franchise consists of the main characters wanting to race and the motivation for most villains is to either win a race or to humiliate the heroes in said race. Compared to most other Pixar movies, the stakes of the Cars franchise are fairly low because of this.

* ''Cars: Race-O-Rama'' (2008)

* ButtMonkey: Lightning in some of the Mater's Tall Tales shorts, though he's TheAce in others.

* TheDitz: Mater.
** GeniusDitz: He has a VERY extensive knowledge on car engines and their parts; particularly cars who were pretty bad. [[spoiler:Also don't get us started on his Batman Gambit and analytical skills.]]
* EnormousEngine: Snot Rod.

* [[FourTemperamentEnsemble Five-Temperament Ensemble]]: [=McQueen=] (sanguine/choleric), Sheriff (choleric), Doc Hudson (melancholic/choleric), Red (melancholic), Sally (phlegmatic), Mater and "The King" Weathers (sanguine), and Mack (leukine).
* HalfWittedHillbilly: Mater certainly looks and acts the part of a redneck who is not very bright, but his encyclopedic knowledge of car parts and problem-solving skills suggest that [[ObfuscatingStupidity he's a lot smarter than he lets on]].
* HippieVan: Literally, in the case of Fillmore; he's a hippie who ''is'' a van, rather than driving one.

* MatryoshkaObject: The closing credits of ''Cars 2'' showed Fillmore, Sarge, Luigi, and Guido as nesting dolls.

* MentorArchetype: Doc serves as one to Lightning. After his passing, [[spoiler: Lightning himself eventually becomes one to Cruz.]]

* MinnesotaNice: Once scene features an overly cheerful lost car named [[MeaningfulName Minnie]] asks for directions in an [[UsefulNotes/AmericanAccents exaggerated Scandinavian-esque accent]] and mentions that her husband also got them lost in Shakopee.

* NewAgeRetroHippie: Filmore.

* PinkGirlBlueBoy: Inverted with Lightning and Sally; she is blue whilst he is red.

* TrailerParkTornadoMagnet: Mater remarks that he's "as happy as a tor-nado in a trailer park!"