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* LifeImitatesArt: In 2024, the Ambetter Health 400 in Atlanta ended in a three-wide photo finish reminiscent of the Dinoco 400's finish at the start of the film, with race winner Daniel Suárez beating Ryan Blaney and Kyle Busch, with a margin of victory of 0.003 seconds between him and second place Blaney, and 0.007 seconds between him and third Busch.
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** Creator/SamuelLeBihan as Chick Hicks in the French dub.
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** Mack is voiced by Creator/JohnRatzenberger, who also reprises three of his previous Creator/{{Pixar}} roles ([[Franchise/ToyStory Hamm]], [[WesternAnimation/ABugsLife P.T. Flea]], and [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc the Abominable Snowman]]) during the drive-in theater scene from the end credits.
** In the Canadian French dub, besides Benoît Rousseau voicing all four John Ratzenberger-voiced characters, there's also Creator/AlainZouvi reprising his roles as both [[Franchise/ToyStory Woody]] and [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc Mike Wazowski]].
** In the Canadian French dub, besides Benoît Rousseau voicing all four John Ratzenberger-voiced characters, there's also Creator/AlainZouvi reprising his roles as both [[Franchise/ToyStory Woody]] and [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc Mike Wazowski]].
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** Mack is voiced by Creator/JohnRatzenberger, who also reprises three of his previous Creator/{{Pixar}} roles ([[Franchise/ToyStory Hamm]], [[WesternAnimation/ABugsLife P.T. Flea]], and [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc1 the Abominable Snowman]]) during the drive-in theater scene from the end credits.
** In the Canadian French dub, besides Benoît Rousseau voicing all four John Ratzenberger-voiced characters, there's also Creator/AlainZouvi reprising his roles as both [[Franchise/ToyStory Woody]] and[[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc [[Franchise/MonstersInc Mike Wazowski]].
** In the Canadian French dub, besides Benoît Rousseau voicing all four John Ratzenberger-voiced characters, there's also Creator/AlainZouvi reprising his roles as both [[Franchise/ToyStory Woody]] and
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* CelebrityVoiceActor: The European Spanish dub included a hurricane of real life racing drivers and celebrities playing small roles, including Fernando Alonso (replacing Mario Andretti's character), Pedro Martínez de la Rosa (as Boost), Marc Gené (Wingo), Emilio de Villota Sr. and Jr. (Mocarra and DJ), Nani Roma (a crashed car), Dani Sordo (Junior) and Antonio Albacete (Peterbilt), as well as sportscasters Antonio Lobato (Bob Cutlass) and TV hosts Pedro Piqueras, Iñaki Gabilondo, Lorenzo Milá, Roberto Arce and Hilario Pino (as the in-universe TV hosts).
to:
* CelebrityVoiceActor: CelebrityVoiceActor:
** The European Spanish dub included a hurricane of real life racing drivers and celebrities playing small roles, including Fernando Alonso (replacing Mario Andretti's character), Pedro Martínez de la Rosa (as Boost), Marc Gené (Wingo), Emilio de Villota Sr. and Jr. (Mocarra and DJ), Nani Roma (a crashed car), Dani Sordo (Junior) and Antonio Albacete (Peterbilt), as well as sportscasters Antonio Lobato (Bob Cutlass) and TV hosts Pedro Piqueras, Iñaki Gabilondo, Lorenzo Milá, Roberto Arce and Hilario Pino (as the in-universe TV hosts).
** The European Spanish dub included a hurricane of real life racing drivers and celebrities playing small roles, including Fernando Alonso (replacing Mario Andretti's character), Pedro Martínez de la Rosa (as Boost), Marc Gené (Wingo), Emilio de Villota Sr. and Jr. (Mocarra and DJ), Nani Roma (a crashed car), Dani Sordo (Junior) and Antonio Albacete (Peterbilt), as well as sportscasters Antonio Lobato (Bob Cutlass) and TV hosts Pedro Piqueras, Iñaki Gabilondo, Lorenzo Milá, Roberto Arce and Hilario Pino (as the in-universe TV hosts).
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** Creator/MadsMikkelsen voices Hicks in the Danish dub.
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** Creator/MadsMikkelsen voices Chick Hicks in the Danish dub.
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** Creator/Mads Mikkelsen voices Hicks in the Danish dub.
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** Creator/Mads Mikkelsen Creator/MadsMikkelsen voices Hicks in the Danish dub.
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** Creator/Mads Mikkelsen voices Hicks in the Danish dub.
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* TechnologyMarchesOn: In 2006, [=GPS=] in vehicles were increasing in popularity but were still considered by most to be something of a new and niche luxury hence why Van's use of it instead of a map is presented as unreliable.
to:
* TechnologyMarchesOn: In 2006, [=GPS=] in vehicles were increasing in popularity popularity, but they were still considered by most to be something of a new and niche luxury hence luxury. Hence why Van's use of it [=GPS=] instead of a map is presented as unreliable.
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* ActingForTwo:
** Mack is voiced by Creator/JohnRatzenberger, who also reprises three of his previous Creator/{{Pixar}} roles ([[Franchise/ToyStory Hamm]], [[WesternAnimation/ABugsLife P.T. Flea]], and [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc the Abominable Snowman]]) during the drive-in theater scene from the end credits.
** In the Canadian French dub, besides Benoît Rousseau voicing all four John Ratzenberger-voiced characters, there's also Creator/AlainZouvi reprising his roles as both [[Franchise/ToyStory Woody]] and [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc Mike Wazowski]].
** Mack is voiced by Creator/JohnRatzenberger, who also reprises three of his previous Creator/{{Pixar}} roles ([[Franchise/ToyStory Hamm]], [[WesternAnimation/ABugsLife P.T. Flea]], and [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc the Abominable Snowman]]) during the drive-in theater scene from the end credits.
** In the Canadian French dub, besides Benoît Rousseau voicing all four John Ratzenberger-voiced characters, there's also Creator/AlainZouvi reprising his roles as both [[Franchise/ToyStory Woody]] and [[WesternAnimation/MonstersInc Mike Wazowski]].
* TheOtherDarrin: In the Canadian French dub, the Abominable Snowman is the only character from a previous Pixar movie to not be voiced by his original voice actor during the end credits. In the dub for ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'', he was voiced by Daniel Picard (who is also the voice of Chick Hicks in ''Cars''). Here, he's instead voiced by Benoît Rousseau. This change was done to preserve the joke of Mack sharing his voice actor with three other Pixar characters, as Rousseau also voiced [[Franchise/ToyStory Hamm]] and [[WesternAnimation/ABugsLife P.T. Flea]] in their respective movies.
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* RoleReprise: The credits scene involving ''Cars''-universe versions of {{Creator/Pixar}} movies features several reprises:
** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'': Creator/TomHanks as Woody, Creator/TimAllen as Buzz Lightyear and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as Hamm.
** ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'': Creator/DaveFoley as Flik and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as P.T Flea.
** ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'': Creator/JohnGoodman as Sulley, Creator/BillyCrystal as Mike and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as the Abominable Snowman.
** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'': Creator/TomHanks as Woody, Creator/TimAllen as Buzz Lightyear and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as Hamm.
** ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'': Creator/DaveFoley as Flik and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as P.T Flea.
** ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'': Creator/JohnGoodman as Sulley, Creator/BillyCrystal as Mike and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as the Abominable Snowman.
to:
* RoleReprise: The credits scene involving ''Cars''-universe versions of {{Creator/Pixar}} Creator/{{Pixar}} movies features several reprises:
** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'': Creator/TomHanks as Woody, Creator/TimAllen as BuzzLightyear Lightyear, and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as Hamm.
** ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'': Creator/DaveFoley as Flik and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as P.T T. Flea.
** ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'': Creator/JohnGoodman as Sulley, Creator/BillyCrystal asMike Mike, and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as the Abominable Snowman.
** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'': Creator/TomHanks as Woody, Creator/TimAllen as Buzz
** ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'': Creator/DaveFoley as Flik and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as P.
** ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'': Creator/JohnGoodman as Sulley, Creator/BillyCrystal as
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* This was the final film independently produced by Pixar before their 2006 merger with Disney, although this film was released after that merger.
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* This was the final film independently produced by Pixar before their 2006 merger with Disney, although this film was released after that merger.merger.
----
----
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* InMemoriam: This film was dedicated to Creator/JoeRanft, a prominent Pixar animator and voice actor (e.g. Heimlich in ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'') who died in a plane accident in 2005. ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'' was also dedicated to Ranft.
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* InMemoriam: This film was dedicated to Creator/JoeRanft, a prominent Pixar animator and voice actor (e.g. Heimlich in ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'') who died in a plane car accident in 2005. ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'' was also dedicated to Ranft.
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* InMemoriam: This film was dedicated to Creator/JoeRanft, a prominent Pixar animator and voice actor (e.g. Heimlich in ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'') who died in a car accident in 2005. ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'' was also dedicated to Ranft.
to:
* InMemoriam: This film was dedicated to Creator/JoeRanft, a prominent Pixar animator and voice actor (e.g. Heimlich in ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'') who died in a car plane accident in 2005. ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'' was also dedicated to Ranft.
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** In the European Spanish version, Mario Andretti's character AsHimself was re-designed to become one for Spanish Formula One champion Fernando Alonso, who voiced the character himself (although the car couldn't receive Alonso's Renault blue colors due to legal conflict, having to become green and white instead). Alonso was later properly introduced AsHimself in ''WesternAnimation/Cars2''. For his part, Bob Cutlass, played by and based on NBC sportscaster Bob Costas, retained its design, but was dubbed by Spanish sportscaster Antonio Lobato in his signature style.
to:
** In the European Spanish version, Mario Andretti's character AsHimself was re-designed to become one for Spanish Formula One champion Fernando Alonso, who voiced the character himself (although the car couldn't receive Alonso's Renault blue colors due to legal conflict, having to become green and white instead). Alonso was later properly introduced AsHimself in ''WesternAnimation/Cars2''. For his part, Bob Cutlass, played by and based on NBC sportscaster Bob Costas, retained its design, but was dubbed by Spanish sportscaster Antonio Lobato in his signature style.
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*** The European Spanish dub had Piston Cup commentator Bob Cutlass voiced by veteran Formula One commentator Antonio Lobato.
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*** The European Spanish dub had Andretti becoming Formula One champion Fernando Alonso and Piston Cup commentator Bob Cutlass voiced by veteran Formula One commentator Antonio Lobato.
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* CelebrityVoiceActor: The European Spanish dub included a hurricane of real life racing drivers and celebrities playing small roles, including Fernando Alonso (replacing Mario Andretti's character), Pedro Martínez de la Rosa (as Boost), Marc Gené (Wingo), Emilio de Villota Sr. and Jr. (Mocarra and DJ), Nani Roma (a crashed car), Dani Sordo (Junior) and Antonio Albacete (Peterbilt), as well as sportscasters Antonio Lobato (Bob Cutlass) and TV hosts Pedro Piqueras, Iñaki Gabilondo, Lorenzo Milá, Roberto Arce and Hilario Pino (as the in-universe TV hosts).
* CreatorCouple: The Spanish version included a cameo by Fernando Alonso, who was involved with (and later briefly married to) the singer of El Sueño de Morfeo, the band that performed the Spanish localized version of Brad Paisley's "Find Yourself" in the movie.
* CulturalTranslation:
** In the European Spanish version, Mario Andretti's character AsHimself was re-designed to become one for Spanish Formula One champion Fernando Alonso, who voiced the character himself (although the car couldn't receive Alonso's Renault blue colors due to legal conflict, having to become green and white instead). Alonso was later properly introduced AsHimself in ''WesternAnimation/Cars2''. For his part, Bob Cutlass, played by and based on NBC sportscaster Bob Costas, retained its design, but was dubbed by Spanish sportscaster Antonio Lobato in his signature style.
** In Finland, Andretti became Mika Hakkinen the same way.
* CreatorCouple: The Spanish version included a cameo by Fernando Alonso, who was involved with (and later briefly married to) the singer of El Sueño de Morfeo, the band that performed the Spanish localized version of Brad Paisley's "Find Yourself" in the movie.
* CulturalTranslation:
** In the European Spanish version, Mario Andretti's character AsHimself was re-designed to become one for Spanish Formula One champion Fernando Alonso, who voiced the character himself (although the car couldn't receive Alonso's Renault blue colors due to legal conflict, having to become green and white instead). Alonso was later properly introduced AsHimself in ''WesternAnimation/Cars2''. For his part, Bob Cutlass, played by and based on NBC sportscaster Bob Costas, retained its design, but was dubbed by Spanish sportscaster Antonio Lobato in his signature style.
** In Finland, Andretti became Mika Hakkinen the same way.
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* AwesomeDearBoy: Larry the Cable Guy called this film his "big break" and proof that his years of working as a comedian and failing to break into acting had paid off.* ActorInspiredElement: Mater's "da'gum!" was an adlib from Larry the Cable Guy.
to:
* AwesomeDearBoy: Larry the Cable Guy called this film his "big break" and proof that his years of working as a comedian and failing to break into acting had paid off.* ActorInspiredElement: Mater's "da'gum!" was an adlib from Larry the Cable Guy.
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* ActorInspiredElement: Mater's "da'gum!" was an adlib from Larry the Cable Guy.
* ActorSharedBackground:
** Like Sarge, Creator/PaulDooley was a U.S. Navy veteran.
** The cameos by real-life UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} and UsefulNotes/FormulaOne drivers are done by them voicing real cars they've driven in their careers.
*** Dale Earnhardt, Jr. voices the Chevrolet Monte Carlo that he drove at DEI from 1999 to 2007.
*** Mario Andretti voices the 1967 Ford Fairlane in which he won the 1967 [[UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} Daytona 500]].
*** Michael Schumacher voices a Ferrari F430. He won five of his seven [=F1=] drivers' titles with the Ferrari team.
*** Strip "The King" Weathers is voiced by Richard Petty, and shares many characteristics with the driver. (1) Weathers is portrayed as a 1970 Plymouth Superbird, the car that Petty drove at that time. (2) He is painted in Petty's distinctive shade of blue and bears the number 43 that Petty drove for his entire NASCAR career. (3) Weathers won seven Piston Cup titles; the real-life Petty won the same number of Cup Series titles. (4) His crash at the end of the tiebreaker race is very similar to one in which Petty was involved during the 1988 Daytona 500. However, artistic license was taken — the real-life crash involved six cars in all, and was not deliberately caused.
*** The King's wife Lynda, voiced by Richard Petty's real-life wife Lynda, is based on the 1974 Chrysler station wagon that she drove to Richard's races in the 1970s.
*** The German dub has the late Formula 1 legend UsefulNotes/NikiLauda voice Strip Weathers.
*** Creator/PaulNewman (Doc) was also well-known for his love of racing, winning many sports car and endurance races in the 70's and 80's and being co-owner of several CART teams.
*** The European Spanish dub had Piston Cup commentator Bob Cutlass voiced by veteran Formula One commentator Antonio Lobato.
* AwesomeDearBoy: Larry the Cable Guy called this film his "big break" and proof that his years of working as a comedian and failing to break into acting had paid off.* ActorInspiredElement: Mater's "da'gum!" was an adlib from Larry the Cable Guy.
* CastTheExpert: The Sheriff is played by Michael Wallis, a renowned journalist and historian who has written several best-selling books on the history of the American Southwest and Route 66, the film's primary settings.
* DiedDuringProduction: In 2005, Creator/JoeRanft died in a car accident, making this the final Pixar film with Ranft's involvement.
* InMemoriam: This film was dedicated to Creator/JoeRanft, a prominent Pixar animator and voice actor (e.g. Heimlich in ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'') who died in a car accident in 2005. ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'' was also dedicated to Ranft.
* InspirationForTheWork: John Lasseter said that inspiration for the film's story came after he took a cross-country road trip with his wife and five sons in 2000.
* KidsMealToy: UsefulNotes/McDonalds released toys of Lighnting, Mater, Sally, Doc, Fillmore, Luigi, Flo, and Ramone in their Happy Meals. Ramone had purple, yellow and green variants, and Lightning also had clean and dirty variants. Also, this promotion was what caused Fillmore to have his name changed. Originally, he was going to be named Waldmire, after Route 66 resident Robert "Bob" Waldmire, but Waldmire, a vegan, didn't want his name to be used because Fillmore was one of the characters to be given a Happy Meal toy.
* MilestoneCelebration: The film has a specialized logo for Creator/{{Pixar}}, due to it being released on their 20th anniversary.
* PromotedFanboy: John Lasseter hired Larry the Cable Guy without even needing to see him audition and gave him lots of leeway to ad lib because he was already a huge fan of his stand up.
* RealitySubtext:
** The King's crash is based, frame by frame, on an ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi-0SIQsGY8 actual crash]]'' Richard Petty lived through in the Daytona 500. Though the real crash involved Petty and at least six other cars.
** Doc Hudson is largely based on 2-time NASCAR champion Herb Thomas, who, in fact, won his two titles in a Hudson Hornet. While there are minor differences between the two, namely [[spoiler:their ultimate fates]], Doc Hudson is essentially Thomas in car form.
** The Motor Speedway of the South is loosely modeled off of Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina, where the movie was premiered, and bits are based on "Thunder Valley" - Bristol Motor Speedway. The California speedway where the finale happens does not exist, but it is possibly a substitute for Fontana's Auto Club Speedway.
** In terms involving ''The Yellow Car'' draft of the film, Jorgen Klubien states that the idea was partially based around the poor reception his fellow countrymen gave the Mini-El car around that time the draft was made.
* RoleReprise: The credits scene involving ''Cars''-universe versions of {{Creator/Pixar}} movies features several reprises:
** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'': Creator/TomHanks as Woody, Creator/TimAllen as Buzz Lightyear and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as Hamm.
** ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'': Creator/DaveFoley as Flik and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as P.T Flea.
** ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'': Creator/JohnGoodman as Sulley, Creator/BillyCrystal as Mike and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as the Abominable Snowman.
* TechnologyMarchesOn: In 2006, [=GPS=] in vehicles were increasing in popularity but were still considered by most to be something of a new and niche luxury hence why Van's use of it instead of a map is presented as unreliable.
* ThrowItIn: Many of Mater's {{catch phrase}}s, such as his trademark "dag'gum!", were ad libs from Larry the Cable Guy.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[WhatCouldHaveBeen/{{Cars}} Shares a page with the rest of the franchise.]]
* WorkingTitle: Aside from the title being ''The Yellow Car'' which was the first name for the movie back in 1997, The film according to the 2002 draft had the place holder name ''The American Car'' In 2001, the film's working title was Route 66 (after U.S. Route 66), but the title was changed to Cars in order to avoid confusion with [[Series/Route66 the 1960s television series of the same name]].
* WriteWhatYouKnow: Aside from his passionate love of automobiles (his father owned a car dealership, which he worked at during the summer as a teenager), the moral of slowing down and appreciating the important things in life came from John Lasseter taking time to go on a vacation with his family down the real Route 66 after spending four years making ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'' and saving ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' from {{Sequelitis}} status with no break in-between. The juxtaposition of the workaholism and the wife and children he loved gave him his own lesson in "slowing down."
* This was the final film independently produced by Pixar before their 2006 merger with Disney, although this film was released after that merger.
* ActorSharedBackground:
** Like Sarge, Creator/PaulDooley was a U.S. Navy veteran.
** The cameos by real-life UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} and UsefulNotes/FormulaOne drivers are done by them voicing real cars they've driven in their careers.
*** Dale Earnhardt, Jr. voices the Chevrolet Monte Carlo that he drove at DEI from 1999 to 2007.
*** Mario Andretti voices the 1967 Ford Fairlane in which he won the 1967 [[UsefulNotes/{{NASCAR}} Daytona 500]].
*** Michael Schumacher voices a Ferrari F430. He won five of his seven [=F1=] drivers' titles with the Ferrari team.
*** Strip "The King" Weathers is voiced by Richard Petty, and shares many characteristics with the driver. (1) Weathers is portrayed as a 1970 Plymouth Superbird, the car that Petty drove at that time. (2) He is painted in Petty's distinctive shade of blue and bears the number 43 that Petty drove for his entire NASCAR career. (3) Weathers won seven Piston Cup titles; the real-life Petty won the same number of Cup Series titles. (4) His crash at the end of the tiebreaker race is very similar to one in which Petty was involved during the 1988 Daytona 500. However, artistic license was taken — the real-life crash involved six cars in all, and was not deliberately caused.
*** The King's wife Lynda, voiced by Richard Petty's real-life wife Lynda, is based on the 1974 Chrysler station wagon that she drove to Richard's races in the 1970s.
*** The German dub has the late Formula 1 legend UsefulNotes/NikiLauda voice Strip Weathers.
*** Creator/PaulNewman (Doc) was also well-known for his love of racing, winning many sports car and endurance races in the 70's and 80's and being co-owner of several CART teams.
*** The European Spanish dub had Piston Cup commentator Bob Cutlass voiced by veteran Formula One commentator Antonio Lobato.
* AwesomeDearBoy: Larry the Cable Guy called this film his "big break" and proof that his years of working as a comedian and failing to break into acting had paid off.* ActorInspiredElement: Mater's "da'gum!" was an adlib from Larry the Cable Guy.
* CastTheExpert: The Sheriff is played by Michael Wallis, a renowned journalist and historian who has written several best-selling books on the history of the American Southwest and Route 66, the film's primary settings.
* DiedDuringProduction: In 2005, Creator/JoeRanft died in a car accident, making this the final Pixar film with Ranft's involvement.
* InMemoriam: This film was dedicated to Creator/JoeRanft, a prominent Pixar animator and voice actor (e.g. Heimlich in ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'') who died in a car accident in 2005. ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'' was also dedicated to Ranft.
* InspirationForTheWork: John Lasseter said that inspiration for the film's story came after he took a cross-country road trip with his wife and five sons in 2000.
* KidsMealToy: UsefulNotes/McDonalds released toys of Lighnting, Mater, Sally, Doc, Fillmore, Luigi, Flo, and Ramone in their Happy Meals. Ramone had purple, yellow and green variants, and Lightning also had clean and dirty variants. Also, this promotion was what caused Fillmore to have his name changed. Originally, he was going to be named Waldmire, after Route 66 resident Robert "Bob" Waldmire, but Waldmire, a vegan, didn't want his name to be used because Fillmore was one of the characters to be given a Happy Meal toy.
* MilestoneCelebration: The film has a specialized logo for Creator/{{Pixar}}, due to it being released on their 20th anniversary.
* PromotedFanboy: John Lasseter hired Larry the Cable Guy without even needing to see him audition and gave him lots of leeway to ad lib because he was already a huge fan of his stand up.
* RealitySubtext:
** The King's crash is based, frame by frame, on an ''[[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vi-0SIQsGY8 actual crash]]'' Richard Petty lived through in the Daytona 500. Though the real crash involved Petty and at least six other cars.
** Doc Hudson is largely based on 2-time NASCAR champion Herb Thomas, who, in fact, won his two titles in a Hudson Hornet. While there are minor differences between the two, namely [[spoiler:their ultimate fates]], Doc Hudson is essentially Thomas in car form.
** The Motor Speedway of the South is loosely modeled off of Charlotte Motor Speedway in North Carolina, where the movie was premiered, and bits are based on "Thunder Valley" - Bristol Motor Speedway. The California speedway where the finale happens does not exist, but it is possibly a substitute for Fontana's Auto Club Speedway.
** In terms involving ''The Yellow Car'' draft of the film, Jorgen Klubien states that the idea was partially based around the poor reception his fellow countrymen gave the Mini-El car around that time the draft was made.
* RoleReprise: The credits scene involving ''Cars''-universe versions of {{Creator/Pixar}} movies features several reprises:
** ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory1'': Creator/TomHanks as Woody, Creator/TimAllen as Buzz Lightyear and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as Hamm.
** ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'': Creator/DaveFoley as Flik and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as P.T Flea.
** ''WesternAnimation/MonstersInc'': Creator/JohnGoodman as Sulley, Creator/BillyCrystal as Mike and Creator/JohnRatzenberger as the Abominable Snowman.
* TechnologyMarchesOn: In 2006, [=GPS=] in vehicles were increasing in popularity but were still considered by most to be something of a new and niche luxury hence why Van's use of it instead of a map is presented as unreliable.
* ThrowItIn: Many of Mater's {{catch phrase}}s, such as his trademark "dag'gum!", were ad libs from Larry the Cable Guy.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: [[WhatCouldHaveBeen/{{Cars}} Shares a page with the rest of the franchise.]]
* WorkingTitle: Aside from the title being ''The Yellow Car'' which was the first name for the movie back in 1997, The film according to the 2002 draft had the place holder name ''The American Car'' In 2001, the film's working title was Route 66 (after U.S. Route 66), but the title was changed to Cars in order to avoid confusion with [[Series/Route66 the 1960s television series of the same name]].
* WriteWhatYouKnow: Aside from his passionate love of automobiles (his father owned a car dealership, which he worked at during the summer as a teenager), the moral of slowing down and appreciating the important things in life came from John Lasseter taking time to go on a vacation with his family down the real Route 66 after spending four years making ''WesternAnimation/ABugsLife'' and saving ''WesternAnimation/ToyStory2'' from {{Sequelitis}} status with no break in-between. The juxtaposition of the workaholism and the wife and children he loved gave him his own lesson in "slowing down."
* This was the final film independently produced by Pixar before their 2006 merger with Disney, although this film was released after that merger.
