Line #16 WesternAnimation/ACarsLifeSparkysBigAdventure


1	[[quoteright:248:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/a_cars_life.png]]
2
3	''A Car's Life: Sparky's Big Adventure'' is a low-budget AllCGICartoon by Creator/SparkPlugEntertainment released in 2006 (coinciding, [[TheMockbuster presumably intentionally]], with the release of [[WesternAnimation/Cars1 another, more well-known CGI film]] involving anthropomorphic cars). It's the story of Sparky, a young car who's at the "rebellious" stage of his life. From speeding to deliberately driving over potholes and using them to launch himself in the air to getting "tricked out", his antics have his father Fender at his wit's end. Diesel, a female (though she certainly doesn't look like it) UsefulNotes/WorldWarII-era Jeep, is a bad influence on Sparky, encouraging him to trick himself out and sneak out to the movies at night, despite being grounded. But it turns out Diesel has a sinister plot at hand...
4
5	In 2012, a sequel simply titled ''Car's Life 2'' (featuring Creator/SeanSchemmel [[QuestionableCasting of all people]] as the role of Fender) was released. In 2013, ''Car's Life 3: The Royal Heist'' was released. Two years later, in 2015, a third sequel named ''Car's Life 4: Junkyard Blues'' was released.
6
7	----
8	!!Tropes:
9	* AerithAndBob: The movies have characters with names like "Sparky", "Fender", "Speedy", "Bumper", "Zipper", "Piston" and "Diesel", as well as ones named "Gracie", "Norbert", "Julia" and "Walter".
10	* ApologisesALot: Speedy ''screeches'' a cluster of grating apologies after she gave a customer wrong tire(s).
11	* ArtEvolution: Starting with the second movie, the characters have more cartoony designs and more expressive animation.
12	* ArtisticLicenseChemistry: Norbert is set on fire by Diesel's cigarrette. But despite Norbert being a literal gas pump, he does not explode.
13	* ArtisticLicensePhysics: How did the ballistic missile Clutch shot at Diesel ''not'' explode?
14	* BigBad: Diesel serves as the main antagonist in the first two films.
15	* BigBrotherWorship: Gracie seems to adore her older brother quite a bit. Anytime he does something reckless, Gracie states how cool she thinks he is.
16	* BigDamnHeroes: Fender and Clutch (with a rocket launcher) save Sparky and Speedy just as they're done for, unfortunately.
17	* BigNo: Fender lets one loose after Gracie voices her dream to join the circus.
18	* BitchInSheepsClothing: Diesel is this to Sparky. In every film, she finds ways to separate Sparky and his father. Just about every time, Sparky is too dense to realize that she's ''intentionally'' ruining his life.
19	* BrattyHalfPint: Sparky ''constantly'' whines about not getting his way and constantly annoys his dad.
20	* ButtMonkey: The Hummer that occasionally stops in for service. Be it getting blinded by having her windshield scrubbed down with oil or being overcharged for bad gas, she can never seem to catch a break.
21	* CircusOfFear: In ''Car's Life 2'', Diesel turns the Greasy Springs Circus into one under her ownership. The main attractions include A: subjecting Sparky and Petoola to a treadmill of increasing speed until one of them runs out of gas, falls asleep or stalls and is ripped apart by the "Jaws of Doom", and B: forcing Bumper and Valve (customers who couldn't pay for the services of Diesel's gas station) to compete in "Dante's Demolition Derby".
22	* CreatorCameo: Director and writer Michael Schelp voices the Gas Leech Father in the first film.
23	* DisneyDeath: Speedy during the Igor scene.
24	* DisproportionateRetribution: Near the end, Diesel reveals that she killed Piston (Sparky's cousin) and she has her DumbMuscle tow truck crony Igor smash Sparky's friend Speedy (though Speedy, unfortunately, [[DisneyDeath gets better]]), yet she gets arrested for driving without a license?
25	** Happens again in the sequel: Diesel is not arrested for [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking trying to destroy Fender's gas station, extorting everyone, poisoning Bumper's gas or even trying to kill Sparky and/or Petoola, but for driving with an expired registration]]. Even Diesel herself [[LampshadeHanging comments]] that it's ironic, but not dramatic.
26	* DoggedNiceGuy: Zipper is this to Speedy of all people.
27	* EvilDebtCollector: And evil debt ''creator''. The whole premise of the sequel focuses on Diesel selling extremely pricey items and making her customers, and her employees, owe her money.
28	* ExtraEyes: Diesel's henchman Igor has an extra pair of eyes.
29	* FormerTeenRebel: Fender.
30	* GoodSmokingEvilSmoking: Diesel is never seen without a cigarette, which is pointed out as being bad. Then again, she was smoking next to a gas pump.
31	* HatesBaths: Sparky protests that his dad forcing him to get a car wash after he hasn't in a week is "child abuse" and after being washed happily proclaims, "I'm not gonna need a car wash for weeks!"
32	* HellIsThatNoise: Speedy's voice in the first film is like having a dental drill shoved in your ear.
33	* HeroicRROD: The wear and tear that a car undergoes is treated like physical ailments and can debilitate a car if not treated. After several warnings from Fender about Sparky wearing out his shocks by doing too many stunts and jumps, Sparky ends up doing just that on his trip with Speedy and Diesel and he's left groaning in pain after even the slightest bump.
34	* HeterosexualLifePartners: Fender and Norbert.
35	* HoodHornament: Steer horns are one of the modifications Sparky adds when he tricks himself out.
36	* HypocriticalHumor: Speedy talks throughout the Lance Hotrod movie, but shushes Sparky when he tries to warn her about the gas leeches.
37	** Diesel calling her customers "Hillbilly clunkers" also counts for this since she has a slightly Southern accent in movie 2, onward, and is camo jeep, which about as "hillbilly" as you can get.
38	* IWantSong: Defied. Sparky attempts one in the beginning of the first film, but Fender stops him, exasperatingly telling him that this isn't a musical.
39	* JumpPhysics: Sparky is able to effortlessly pull off backflips while driving off ramps.
40	* LethallyStupid: Speedy, who doesn't realize that Diesel is trying to kill her and Sparky. She even gets mad at Sparky for trying to make her understand what's going on by saying that Diesel is "being nice to them".
41	* TheMockbuster: An obvious parody/ripoff of ''WesternAnimation/Cars1'', but with "kid-friendly" messages thrown in.
42	** In fact, one could even say that this would even be a ripoff of Creator/TexAvery's ''One Cab's Family'', with the whole "child car goes fast, disobeys father and nearly gets himself killed" motif, although this is a stretch.
43	* NoIndoorVoice: Speedy '''shrieks''' her lungs out in every. Single. Line of dialogue. One Website/YouTube commenter put it best, in that she sounds like an annoying version of [[Franchise/{{Batman}} Harley Quinn's]] voice actress.
44	** The sequel fixed that and gave her a tolerable voice, yet still a little screechy.
45	*** In fact, the second sequel, ''The Royal Heist'' actually gave her a voice that’s actually normal!
46	* NoodleIncident: Norbert claims that Speedy is the reason he only has one hose, but doesn't go into detail.
47	* NotMeThisTime: In the third movie, someone steals the Queen's jewels and Diesel, the antagonist of the first two movies, is among the suspects. [[spoiler:They were all [[FrameUp framed]] by one of the queen's servants, who is the real thief.]]
48	* ObviouslyEvil: Diesel.
49	* OddlyNamedSequel2ElectricBoogaloo: ZigZagged. Of the four movies, the second is the only one not to have a subtitle.
50	* OfficerOHara: Clutch becomes one in the sequel.
51	* OnlySaneMan: Fender and maybe Norbert. They're the only characters that the viewers may be able to like.
52	* OverlyLongGag: The motor oil on windshield scene. The car is just spinning in circles while Speedy tells her to calm down and other characters look over the scene.
53	* PinkGirlBlueBoy: Speedy and Zipper.
54	** Diesel's gas-pump and Norbert later.
55	* PoliceAreUseless: Officer Clutch is one of the most incompetent cops in all of ''fiction.'' Throughout the sequel, he's absent for it and he doesn't have anyone else working in the office. It turns out to be a contrived coincidence as Diesel shows up and starts causing trouble. When he does return midway through, it's to arrest Fender on his sabotaged gas.
56	* RecordNeedleScratch: When Fender cuts Sparky's attempt at an IWantSong short.
57	* SmugSnake: Diesel is a BigBad version.
58	* TheSociopath: Diesel. However, in the sequel, everyone is so oblivious to her past crimes, and they continue to let her get away with blackmail, stealing, manipulation and outright ''murder.'' Yet, when she is finally stopped, she's only arrested for simple felonies (driving with a revoked license, having an expired registration). It doesn't really help that only one person is responsible for all the scripts.
59	* SoundtrackDissonance: The gentle, upbeat piano music that plays when Diesel sets Norbert the gas pump on fire.
60	* StrawNihilist: Diesel says:
61	-->''"You've got to live dangerously (or die trying)."''
62	-->''"Life is short and cruel, Sparky! Who cares what the other cars think? Live for today!"''
63	* TooDumbToLive: Sparky in the sequel. He should know that Diesel is bad news for him, and yet, he listens to what she says and even works for her throughout the film.
64	* TyopOnTheCover: The British DVD cover lacks the apostrophe in "Car's" in the title.
65	* VocalDissonance: Diesel sounds like a FemmeFatale, despite being a tough-looking jeep.

Context WesternAnimation / ACarsLifeSparkysBigAdventure