World of Cars

"Life is a highway, a spy mission, and the finish line."

- The film's tagline

World of Cars (also known as Cars Origins: Lightning McQueen outside North America) is a 2020 animated road racing, comedy-drama, sci-fi and spy film produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios. The film was directed by John Lasseter and Brian Fee, with the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) associated as special thanks. Distributed by Disney+, it is an installment of the Disney Reborn Multiverse, and features an ensemble voice cast that includes Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, Larry the Cable Guy, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Eddie Izzard, Thomas Kretschmann, Cristela Alonzo, Armie Hammer, Kerry Washington, Nathan Fillion, Lea DeLaria, Tony Shalhoub, Guido Quaroni, Paul Dooley, George Carlin, Cheech Marin, Jenifer Lewis, Michael Wallis, John Turturro and Chris Cooper, as well as cameos provided by dozens of NASCAR, Rally, Le Mans and Formula One personalities and other celebrities, including Jeremy Clarkson as Harv.

Development on World of Cars began in late 2017 after the release of Cars 3 and by March 2019, pre-production on the film was underway. Wallis confirmed that the film would involve somewhere in Route 69. Prior to the film's release, co-writer Kiel Murray stated that the film had a "very emotional story", similar in tone to the first film, "in seeing the return of Doc Hudson before his mental passing".

It was released on February 1, 2020, receiving mixed reviews from critics, who criticized the film's long duration, improved animation, rude humor, certain characters' lack of screen time, and the inclusion of Cars 2, though the emotional weight of the story, action scenes, musical score by Randy Newman and Michael Giacchino, and the voice talent performances received numerous praises. The film is dedicated to the memories of Katherine Helmond, who died in February 2019, and former racing driver Junior Johnson, who died in December 2019. The film was nominated for Movie of the Year, and Best Film Special / Visual Effects.

Synopsis
Disney+ presents a whole new world populated entirely by anthropomorphic talking cars and other vehicles. Piston Cup champion Lightning McQueen finds himself in Radiator Springs, learning that life is more important than crossing the finish line. McQueen and tow truck Mater head to Japan and Europe to compete in the World Grand Prix, but Mater accidentally becomes sidetracked with international espionage. After racing for six years as a veteran, McQueen sets out to prove to a new generation of high tech race cars that he is still the best race car in the world.

Prologue
In 1909, a anthropomorphic talking Ford Model T named Stanley starts planning how the rundown desert town of Radiator Springs should be built. A few years later, Stanley marries a female Ford Model T named Lizzie, get married, and honeymoon at Comfy Caverns. After Stanley passes away, more cars came to live in Radiator Springs, and the town grows. It is a popular rest area where almost all customers would stop to shop and fill their gas tank. However, in the early 1960's, Interstate 40 is built near Radiator Springs, which greatly decreases traffic for Radiator Springs, since the Interstate bypasses the town. Finally, in the mid 1985, Route 66 is decommissioned.

Main
In a modern world populated by vehicles, the final race of the 2005 Piston Cup season ends in a three-way tie between retiring veteran Strip "The King" Weathers, frequent runner-up Chick Hicks, and brash rookie sensation Lightning McQueen; the tiebreaker race is scheduled for one week later at the Los Angeles International Speedway. Lightning is desperate to win the race, not only to be the first rookie to win the Piston Cup, but also because it would allow him to leave the unglamorous sponsorship of Rust-Eze, a bumper ointment company, and take The King's place on the prestigious and lucrative Dinoco team. Eager to get to California as soon as possible, he pushes his big rig, Mack, to travel all night long. While Lightning is sleeping, Mack nods off and is startled awake, causing Lightning to fall out the back of the trailer and onto the road. Lightning wakes up in the middle of traffic and speeds off the highway in search of Mack, but instead ends up in Radiator Springs, where he inadvertently damages the pavement of the main road.

The next day, Lightning is ordered by the town judge, Doc Hudson, to leave town immediately, but the local lawyer, Sally, requests that Lightning should instead be assigned community service to repave the road, to which Doc reluctantly agrees. Still in a rush to leave town, Lightning repaves the road shoddily, and is ordered to repave it again. During this time, he begins to warm to the town, and befriends several of its residents. He learns that Radiator Springs was once a popular stop along U.S. Route 66 until it was bypassed with the construction of the Interstate System and mostly forgotten, and that Doc was a famous three-time Piston Cup winner whose career ended prematurely from a serious crash. He bonds with Sally, who found happiness when she gave up a fast life in LA to live in Radiator Springs, and now dreams of putting the town back on the map. Lightning finishes repaving the road, reinvigorating the town's residents, and decides to spend an extra day in Radiator Springs with his new friends, but his time there is cut short when Mack and the media descend on the town. Lightning reluctantly leaves to reach California in time for the race while Sally chastises Doc upon discovering that he was responsible for tipping off the media to Lightning's whereabouts.

At the race, Lightning races distractedly and soon falls into last place. He is then surprised to discover that Doc, having a change of heart, has taken over as his crew chief and several of his other friends from Radiator Springs are helping in the pit. Inspired and recalling tricks he learned from Doc and his friends, Lightning quickly emerges to lead the race into the final laps, but at the last minute, Chick, refusing to lose to The King again, sideswipes and sends The King into a dangerous crash. Recalling Doc's fate, Lightning stops just short of the finish line, allowing Chick to win, and drives back to push The King over the finish line. As a result, the angered crowd and media condemn Chick's victory while also praising Lightning's sportsmanship. Lightning is offered the Dinoco sponsorship, but declines and insists on staying with Rust-Eze out of loyalty for their past support. Back at Radiator Springs, Lightning reunites with Sally and announces that he will be setting up his racing headquarters there, putting Radiator Springs back on the map.

Finn McMissile, a British spy, infiltrates an oil rig owned by a group of lemon cars to rescue a fellow spy. He witnesses the lemons, seemingly led by Professor Zündapp, load an electromagnetic pulse emitter, disguised as a camera onto a shipping crate. After finding out the agent he came to rescue is dead, he flees and fakes his death.

McQueen, now a four-time Piston Cup champion, returns to Radiator Springs. However, Italian formula race car, Francesco Bernoulli, challenges McQueen to race in the newly created World Grand Prix, led by its creator Sir Miles Axlerod, who intends to promote his new environmentally friendly fuel, Allinol. McQueen and Mater — along with Luigi, Guido, Fillmore, and Sarge — depart for Tokyo for the first race of the Grand Prix.

At a World Grand Prix promotional event, Mater makes a scene after leaking oil and eating a bowl of Wasabi, angering McQueen. While cleaning up, Mater interrupts a fight between American spy Rod "Torque" Redline (whom McMissile and his new partner Holley Shiftwell attempt to meet) and lemons Grem and Acer. Redline passes his information to Mater, whom Holley mistakes as a spy. Meanwhile, Redline is captured and killed by Professor Zündapp, who reveals that Allinol combusts when hit with an EMP pulse. Zündapp informs his superior, an unknown mastermind, that Redline passed on his information.

At the first race, three cars are ignited by the camera. McQueen places second in the race after Bernoulli, due to Mater accidentally giving him bad racing advice while evading Zündapp's henchmen with help from Holley and Finn. McQueen snaps at Mater, who is abducted by Finn while attempting to return to Radiator Springs. After traveling to Paris to collect more information from Finn's old friend Tomber, they travel to Porto Corsa, Italy, where the next race is being held. During the race, Mater infiltrates the criminals' meeting, just as the camera is used on a few more cars, causing a multi-car pileup, while McQueen finishes first. Due to increased fears over Allinol's safety, Axlerod lifts the requirement to use it for the final race. However, when McQueen decides to continue using it, the criminals plot to kill McQueen in the next race in London. This spooks Mater, causing him to blow his cover and allow him, Finn, and Holley to be captured.

Mater, Finn, and Holley are taken to and tied up inside Big Ben. Mater learns that the camera did not function on McQueen, but the criminals tell him they planted a bomb in his pits as a backup plan, spurring him to break free and escape. Finn and Holley escape soon after, but realize that the bomb is on Mater's air filter. Mater had already arrived at the pits when they tell him this, so he flees down the race course while McQueen chases after him. Finn apprehends Professor Zündapp while he attempts to escape. The other lemons arrive and outnumber Finn, Holley, Mater, and McQueen, but they are soon rescued by the arrival of the other Radiator Springs residents. Mater then uses evidence he has seen to reveal that Axlerod is the mastermind of the plot and the car who placed the bomb on Mater. Mater forces Axlerod to deactivate the bomb, and he and the other lemons are arrested.

Mater receives an honorary knighthood from the Queen, while Sarge reveals that he changed McQueen's fuel from Allinol (which, it turns out, is only gasoline) to Fillmore's organic biofuel, explaining why the camera did not work on him. Finn and Holley ask if Mater can join them on another mission, but he politely declines, and then participates with the World Grand Prix competitors in a race at Radiator Springs.

Throughout the 2016 Piston Cup season, McQueen, now a seven-time Piston Cup champion after the recent death of Doc and the other veteran racers of the Piston Cup racing series suddenly find themselves struggling to win against next-generation rookies like Jackson Storm, who utilize advanced technology and modern training methods. As Storm's breakout success attracts other rookies to the series, most of the veterans either retire or are fired to make way for the new generation. In the final race of the season, McQueen desperately attempts to overtake Storm but loses control and suffers a violent crash, leaving him badly injured.

Four months later, McQueen is still recovering in Radiator Springs, isolating himself from his friends and spending his time watching footage of Doc. After receiving some encouragement from Sally, McQueen decides to return to racing and calls his sponsors from Rust-Eze, Rusty and Dusty, who reveal that they have sold the team to a new owner named Sterling. In a new state-of-the-art training center, Sterling assigns McQueen to train under racing trainer Cruz Ramirez. McQueen struggles to adapt to Cruz's modern methods and fails to improve, damaging an expensive simulator in the process, so Sterling tries to force him into retirement. McQueen offers a deal: if he can win the first race of the season, he can continue racing as long as he wants; otherwise, he will retire immediately. Sterling is worried about damaging McQueen's marketability, but accepts the deal, but assigns Cruz to join him.

McQueen tries to train on nearby Fireball Beach but ends up spending most of his time teaching Cruz how to drive on the sandy terrain. McQueen then attempts to join a race incognito at a famous dirt track called Thunder Hollow, but inadvertently enters a figure-8-style demolition derby with Cruz, which she wins. McQueen's identity is also discovered, adding to his humiliation. Distraught at the apparent waste of training time, McQueen rages at Cruz and in the process accidentally breaks her trophy. Cruz reveals that she had wanted to be a racer just like McQueen all her life, but never started a race due to her feeling intimidated and outclassed by the other racers. She resigns as McQueen's trainer and heads back to the training center.

Guilty and with no other options, McQueen calls his friend Mater for advice. He suggests that McQueen tracks down Doc's mentor Smokey, in Doc's hometown of Thomasville, so McQueen catches up to Cruz and convinces her to rejoin him. In Thomasville, McQueen meets up with Smokey, who reveals that despite the fact Doc never raced again, he found new happiness in training McQueen. After McQueen accepts that he will never be as fast as Storm, Smokey and his friends help McQueen learn new tricks to overcome his speed disadvantage, using Cruz as his sparring partner. However, during the final practice race, Cruz suddenly overtakes him and he suffers a flashback to his crash, shaking his confidence.

At the race in Florida, McQueen starts last, but with coaching from Smokey in the pits, manages to gradually push up the ranks. Sterling, who still believes McQueen can't win, orders Cruz back to the training center, despite her wanting to stay and watch the race. Overhearing the exchange and remembering Cruz's dream of racing, McQueen instead has his crew outfit her to take his place, which includes painting on her his #95. While shaky at first, Cruz is able to push up the ranks thanks to McQueen coaching her using a combination of what he taught her and her own training methods, and eventually ends up right behind Storm. Storm, feeling threatened, tries to intimidate Cruz, even to the point of ramming her against the wall in the final lap. Cruz, however, uses one of Doc's old tricks to outmaneuver him and wins the race.

As Cruz celebrates her victory, Sterling offers her a role on his team, but she instead takes a counteroffer from legendary owner Tex Dinoco. Sterling reminds McQueen about his bet, but as McQueen started the race that Cruz finished using the same number, he gets a share of the win, thus winning his bet.

Epilogue
Sometime later, McQueen and Cruz return to Radiator Springs, where McQueen reveals that Tex, after seeing Sterling's callousness, has bought Rust-eze from him, and McQueen, now decked in Doc's racing colors, decides to continue racing and train Cruz.

Voice cast
A 1951 Hudson Hornet, who is later revealed to be the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. A Piston Cup racer. A 2002 996-series Porsche 911 Carrera, who is McQueen's girlfriend. A 1951 International Harvester L-170 "boom" truck. A British spy car. A beautiful young British desk agent, new to field work, who is Mater's girlfriend. McQueen's new racing rival. A 2017 CRS Sports Coupe, who is Lightning McQueen's trainer. A 1959 Fiat 500. A forklift. A 1949 Mercury Club Coupe (police package). A British electric car, who created Allinol, and is the secret mastermind of the lemons. A camouflage-colored Land Rover Range Rover, who is the corporal of the British military. A rich business car and the new Rust-eze team owner. A 1941 Willys model jeep, in the style used by the US Military. A 1960 VW Bus. Lloyd Sherr, who continued voicing Fillmore after Carlin's death, served as his double. A 1959 Chevrolet Impala Lowrider. A 1957 General Motors Motorama show car. An intimidating monster school bus at the Thunder Hollow demolition derby. McQueen's racing rival from Italy. Doc Hudson's former mechanic and crew chief.
 * Paul Newman as Doc Hudson (archival recordings)
 * Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen
 * Bonnie Hunt as Sally Carrera
 * Larry the Cable Guy as Sir Tow Mater
 * Michael Caine as Finn McMissile
 * Emily Mortimer as Holley Shiftwell
 * Armie Hammer as Jackson Storm
 * Cristela Alonzo as Cruz Ramirez
 * Tony Shalhoub as Luigi
 * Guido Quaroni as Guido
 * Michael Wallis as Sheriff
 * Michael Keaton as Chick Hicks
 * Eddie Izzard as:
 * Sir Miles Axlerod
 * Josh Coolant
 * Nathan Fillion as Sterling
 * John Ratzenberger as Mack
 * Katherine Helmond as Lizzie and Galloping Geargrinder. These were Helmond's last roles before her death in February 2019.
 * John Michael Higgins as Stanley (who previously voiced him in Time Travel Mater)
 * Paul Dooley as Sarge
 * George Carlin as Fillmore (archival recordings)
 * Cheech Marin as Ramone
 * Jenifer Lewis as Flo
 * Jerome Ranft as Red
 * Lea DeLaria as Miss Fritter
 * Kerry Washington as Natalie Certain
 * Thomas Kretschmann as Professor Zündapp
 * Humpy Wheeler as Tex Dinoco
 * Jason Isaacs as Siddeley and Leland Turbo
 * Franco Nero as Uncle Topolino
 * Jeff Garlin as Otis
 * Peter Jacobson as Acer
 * Joe Mantegna as Grem and Petrov Trunkov
 * David Hobbs as David Hobbscap
 * Brent Musburger as Brent Mustangburger. This will be the last time Musburger voices himself prior to his retirement in 2021.
 * Kyle Petty as Cal Weathers
 * Bruce Campbell as Rod "Torque" Redline
 * Michel Michelis as Tomber
 * Sig Hansen as Crabby the Boat
 * Richard Petty as Strip "The King" Weathers
 * Lewis Hamilton as Hamilton
 * Margo Martindale as Louise Nash
 * Isiah Whitlock Jr. as River Scott
 * Junior Johnson as Junior "Midnight" Moon. This was Johnson's last media appearance before his death in December 2019.
 * Bob Costas as Bob Cutlass
 * Darrell Waltrip (prior to his retirement from FOX Sports) as Darrell Cartrip
 * Jay Leno as Jay Limo
 * Arnold Schwarzenegger as Sven
 * John Turturro as Francesco Bernoulli
 * Chris Cooper as Smokey
 * Jeremy Clarkson as Harv

Additionally, several other voice actors reprise their Cars roles: Lloyd Sherr as Tony Trihull, Vanessa Redgrave as Mama Topolino and Elizabeth II, Richard Kind as Van, Edie McClurg as Minny, Madeleine McGraw as Maddy McGear, Andra Day as Sweet Tea, Stanley Townsend as Vladimir Trunkov, Ivan and Victor Hugo, Velibor Topic as Alexander Hugo, Ray Magliozzi as Dusty Rust-eze, John Mainier as J. Curby Gremlin, Brad Lewis as Tubbs Pacer, Adrian Ochoa as Wingo, Lou Romano as Snot Rod, Jonas Rivera as Boost, E.J. Holowicki as DJ, Mike Nelson as Not Chuck, Sarah Clark as Kori Turbowitz, Lindsay Collins as Mia, Elissa Knight as Tia, Andrew Stanton as Fred, Daisuke "Dice" Tsutsumi as Daisu Tsashimi, Sonoko Konishi as Chuki, Bob Peterson (who worked with Michael Keaton, credited as "Chick Hicks Substitute") as Dr. Damage, Teresa Gallagher as the voice of Mater's computer, Jim Ward as Chief Chick, Rodger Bumpass as Wide Chick Pitty, Bob Bergen as Dan Sclarkenberg, Craig Good as Skip Ricter, Teddy Newton as Chuck Manifold, Michael Bell as Houser Boon, and Jess Harnell as Chuck Armstrong.

Numerous drivers and other racing-related personalities from sports have cameos: Michael Schumacher as Michael Schumacher Ferrari, Mario Andretti as Mr. Andretti #11, Dale Earnhardt Jr. as Junior #8, Jeff Gordon as Jeff Gorvette, Shannon Spake as Shannon Spokes, Mark Winterbottom as Frosty Winterbumper, Douglas Keever as Doug R.M., Artie Kempner as Artie, Colin Cowherd as Colin Cowling, Mike Joy as Mike Joyride, Ray Evernham as Ray Reverham, Darrell Wallace Jr. as Bubba Wheelhouse, Chase Elliott as Chase Racelott, Ryan Blaney as Ryan "Inside" Laney, and Daniel Suárez as Daniel Swervez. Donald Flock, son of Hudson Hornet driver Tim Flock, voices Larry Camper at the Los Angeles International Speedway. Wallace Shawn provides a cameo as Lee Revkins, a former Piston Cup racer for Transberry Juice. Jeremy Maxwell returns as Arvy Motorhome, as well as Rich Mixon from Cars 3: Driven to Win. Jerry Trainor returns to voice Todd Marcus, a retired Piston Cup racer for No Stall from Cars: Fast As Lightning.

Prince William, Duke of Cambridge voices Prince Wheeliam during Miles Axlerod's expose. Greg Ellis voices Nigel Gearsley from Cars 2: The Video Game. Director John Lasseter cameos as John Lassetire, Jeff Gorvette's crew chief, and archival recordings of Lynda Petty and Tom Magliozzi as Lynda Weathers and Rusty Rust-eze are featured. Larry King voices Mel Dorado, replacing Patrick Walker from Cars 2. Pixar designer Alex Harvill and executive AJ Riebli III voice Alex Carvill and Albert Hinkey. Racing Sports Network's unseen media hosts includes Gary Clark Jr. as Roy Gauge and ZZ Ward as Ericka Dent. Numerous actors reprise their vocal roles from previous Pixar films during a brief sequence featuring automobile spoofs: Tim Allen as Buzz Lightyear, Tom Hanks as Sheriff Woody, John Goodman as James P. "Sulley" Sullivan, Billy Crystal as Mike Wazowski, Dave Foley as Flik, Ellen DeGeneres as Dory, Albert Brooks as Marlin, Barry Humphries as Bruce, Holly Hunter as Helen Parr / Elastigirl, Craig T. Nelson as Bob Parr / Mr. Incredible, Sarah Vowell as Violet Parr, Huckleberry Milner as Dashiell "Dash" Parr, and Samuel L. Jackson as Lucius Best / Frozone.

Production
Regarding a possible Cars 4, Cars 3 producers Kevin Reher and Andrea Warren stated speaking to Cinema Blend that "If there's a good story to tell, I mean, our heads kinda break after having gotten this one done, like "oh my ***" what could you do the further adventures of? But like any sequel, from Toy Story 4 to Incredibles 2, as long as there's a good story to tell it's worth investing, we do love these characters, we love them as much as the public does." Regarding which character would be the main protagonist in the film, Reher and Warren stated that "if Cruz is a breakout character, kind of like Mater was, she would be involved in a 4". Owen Wilson stated at a Cars 3 press event that possible stories have been discussed for a Cars 4, though he would personally like for a fourth Cars film to delve into aspects of the thriller genre, akin to Cars 2. In an interview with Screen Rant, Lea DeLaria expressed interest in reprising her role as Miss Fritter while promoting the release of the short film, Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool with the Cars 3 DVD and Blu-ray release.

The film was officially announced as World of Cars during the 2018 Comic-Con.

Post-production
Coming soon!

Casting
Much of the original cast are expected to reprise their roles from previous films.

Music
Randy Newman and Michael Giacchino are scheduled to compose the film's score since the first three films. Returning songs will include "Real Gone", "Life is a Highway", "Our Town", "Sh-Boom", "Route 66", "You Might Think", "Mon Cœur Fait Vroum", "Kings Highway", "Run That Race" and "Ride" in addition to a few new songs such as Tom Petty's Runnin' Down a Dream, the late Michael Joseph Jackson's Beat It and Black or White, Europe's The Final Countdown and Queen's Radio Ga Ga.

Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 52% based on 8 reviews and an average rating of 6.22/10. On Metacritic, the film has a score of 53 out of 100 based on 6 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".

Audience response
Despite mixed reviews for the film, user-generated scores at Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic were more positive. At Rotten Tomatoes, 88% of users rated the film 8 stars or higher, while at Metacritic, the average user score is 8.2.

Home media
The film will be released on 4K Blu-Ray and DVD sometime in 2020. It will also feature the video game version of the film.

Notes/Trivia

 * This is the first Cars film to be rated PG by the MMPA due to the film's adult humor and action scenes.
 * Tony Shalhoub and Cheech Marin have previously appeared as Misha and Ignacio in DreamWorks Pictures' Paulie from 1998.
 * Marin voiced Banzai the hyena in The Lion King film series and Kingdom Hearts II.
 * The voice cast includes many racing drivers and personalities across the world.
 * Since January 2018, an alternate version of the Tokyo race sequence from Cars 2 was released widespread on YouTube. This film will include that footage in full high-definition alongside a new score composed by Giacchino.
 * Several sound effects of reacting audiences from Wii Sports Resort are featured during the Los Angeles International Speedway, including Strip Weathers' big crash.
 * Bob Peterson voiced Mr. Ray in the Finding Nemo films, and currently Roz in the Monsters, Inc. franchise.
 * Jeff Garlin voices Buttercup the unicorn in the Toy Story franchise, as well as the captain in WALL-E.
 * Rodger Bumpass currently voices Squidward Tentacles since 1999.
 * Owen Wilson portrayed "Jedediah", a miniature cowboy figure in the Night at the Museum trilogy.
 * Michael Keaton portrayed the Vulture in Spider-Man: Homecoming, an installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU).
 * Armie Hammer portrayed the Lone Ranger in the infamous 2013 reboot of the same name.
 * Bonnie Hunt voiced numerous characters in Pixar movies: Rosie the black widow in A Bug's Life, Ms. Flint in Monsters, Inc., and Dolly in the Toy Story series.
 * From 2015 to 2019, Greg Ellis voiced Mzingo the vulture in The Lion Guard, as well as additional voices.
 * Arnold Schwarzenegger has portrayed T-800 in most of his Terminator appearances and cameos.
 * Teresa Gallagher currently voices Annie and Clarabel in Thomas & Friends.
 * Jeremy Clarkson reprises his role as Harv (replacing Jeremy Piven) from UK version.
 * The film marks as one of the final projects to be directed by John Lasseter shortly after he left Walt Disney Animation Studios and Pixar Animation Studios in 2018.
 * There are numerous adult jokes in the film:
 * During the first time Lightning has to repair the main road, and after Red the firetruck ignored him, Lighting gets upset and says: "I shouldn't have to put up with this! I'm a precision instrument of speed and aerodynamics!!" Then Mater gets confused and asks, "You hurt your whaaat??" He was probably referring to Lightning's crotch, as when Mater usually says "what" at the end or middle of asking a question, he usually is referring to anything inappropriate.
 * There is a scene where Mia and Tia literally flash Lightning with their headlights. This would be the automobile equivalent of groupies pulling up their shirts to flash celebrities.
 * The bumper sticker that Lizzie puts on Van reads "Nice Butte."
 * Lightning's racing sponsor is Rust-eze Medicated Bumper Ointment: New Rear-End Formula, a treatment for one's backside.
 * At the courthouse (when Lightning was being accused), after Lightning asks Mater if he knows Sally, Mater replies, "She's the town attorney...and my fiancée." (This could be to make Lightning feel jealous or just to tease him.) Then Lightning exclaims, "What?!" with a shocked face (he thought Mater was serious, while Mater was trying to get a reaction out of him for play). Mater then giggles, lightly taps him, and says: "Nah, I'm just kiddin'. She just likes me for my body." (He then leans to the side and moves his bottom eyelid up as if he was getting horny/aroused about the remark.)
 * As Lightning watches Sally drive away, he remarks, "Hey, do I spy a little pinstriping tattoo back there?", and the camera focuses on said tattoo on Sally's trunk. She then gets so embarrassed that she knocks over a pile of traffic cones.
 * When Lightning explains to Mater late one night that Sally is going to let him stay at the motel, Mater replies, "Ohhh, gettin' cozy at the Cone, is we?" He was probably referring to Lightning and Sally having sex at the motel.
 * When Lightning drives in on Doc Hudson fixing the Sheriff, whose undercarriage is exposed, Lightning stares and then soon looks away in embarrassment, and the Sheriff says, "Get a good peek, City Boy?" As Lightning leaves, the Sheriff remarks, "Hope you enjoyed the show!"
 * One of the sponsors in the Piston Cup for racer Claude Scruggs is called "Leak Less", a trademark of drip pans that are used to prevent oil leaks. This is equivalent to absorbent pads worn by people with urinary incontinence.
 * When Lightning tells Rusty and Dusty that "Race cars don't need headlights, because the track is always lit.", Rusty replies, "Yeah, well, so is my brother, but he still needs headlights." This means that he is a drunk driver. When Lightning leaves, Rusty and Dusty both yell, "Don't drive like my brother!" This is another reference to drunk driving.
 * Rusty Cornfuel's sponsor is Tow Cap: Hitch Protection. The logo shows a piece of rubber on a hitch, a reference to condoms, as a car's hitch could be compared to a man's privates.
 * Lightning tells everyone at Flo's Cafe that Doc Hudson won three Piston Cups, although when Mater hears what Lightning said, he responds, "He did what in his cup?!", misinterpreting "Piston Cup" and believing that Doc had urinated in his cup.
 * After Lightning insults Francesco Bernoulli by calling him fragile and not so fast, Francesco begins talking angrily and swearing at Lightning in Italian, before being muted to avoid offense to Italian viewers, then backs up and rubs his back tires on the floor. This means that he may have been flipping Lightning off.
 * When Mater is playfully sneaking around in the Wheel Well Motel, he tries a martini out of curiosity. However, after doing so, he notices that the taste is too strong and awful, and he still had it in his mouth, not wanting to swallow it. He looks everywhere for a place to spit it out, but he could only spit it back in the glass that he drank it from. This is equivalent to a naive person trying alcohol for the first time to see if they like it or not.
 * When Mater is in the bathroom in Tokyo, he sits on a Japanese toilet and cluelessly presses the wash button. The gadget then fires a cold spray of water up to his undercarriage, making him scream in pain and fright.
 * Before leaving the bathroom mentioned above, Mater warns Grem and Acer, "When she starts gigglin', prepare to be squirted!" This is a reference to ejaculation.
 * When Holley Shiftwell says to Mater that they should find somewhere more private, Mater gets confused and begins to think that she meant for them to go make love.
 * When Acer falls onto the chopsticks on the sushi restaurant sign, the cartoon figure appears to be a cannibal, eating his own kind.
 * In Paris, when Mater meets the owner of a headlights market, he is scared off when the owner's eyes are on the headlights. This signifies that the eyes are, in a human's case, on the breast.
 * On Siddeley, Mater says: "Boy, I've gotta go to a doctor. I keep getting these sharp pains in my undercarriage."
 * When Mater is given a vampire disguise, he remarks, "Hahahaha. I vant to siphon your gas! Ha, ha!" This is a reference to vampires and their desire to suck victims' blood.
 * In Porto Corsa, when Holley is doing her fake Italian voice to distract the Lemons outside the casino, she asks in an Italian-English accent if one of the Lemons could help her find her lost, made-up, broken-down grandfather, to which Ivan responds, "Sounds like you need some roadside assistance." Also, he shows her his tow cable as his hook comes down. Then Ivan and Alex get in a small argument about who she was talking to. This is a clear example of two criminals taking advantage of a sexy, hot lady. Additionally, "roadside assistance" from Ivan could mean that he wanted to go sexually assault her because he is a bad guy.
 * When a few cars are gambling and playing with fuzzy dice, Mary Esgocar arrives and says, "Air freshener!", which may imply that she is talking about male car body odor.
 * During Lightning's training at Rust-eze Racing Center, Cruz Ramirez hangs Lightning down at one point. She then gives him a "Drip Pan" just in case, much to his embarrassment.
 * As Lightning and Cruz are arguing about racing on the beach, Lightning exclaims that, "Life's a beach and then you drive!" Taken out of context, said passage sounds like "Life's a b**** and then you die," which Luigi and Guido, after a brief pause, appear to notice.
 * When Lightning and Cruz are locked inside the Thunder Hollow demolition derby, one of the rules Roscoe tells them is, "No cursin'! It's family night!"
 * During the demolition derby, one car says to another, "Get the __ out of my way!!", but he honks on the blank word, implying he may have meant a swearword.

Cars

 * Archival audio of Rex screaming from Toy Story was used for Lee Revkin's cry, after being maneuvered by Chick.
 * The voice of Harv from the UK release of Cars is used instead of Harv from the US release.
 * As Chick Hicks rears his bumper into Lightning's back tire, causing it to blow, Roy Gauge's reaction ("There she blows") is added.
 * As Guido gives Lightning a four second pit stop, added content includes Ericka Dent's reaction of this.
 * New footage of the Radiator Springs residents and townsfolk watching Fueling Nemo and The Incredicars, two parodies of Finding Nemo and The Incredibles, is included through the use of 2-D animation.

Cars 2

 * Mark Winterbottom replaces Jeff Gordon during the Tokyo party and Mater's nightmare.
 * Colin Cowherd cameos as Colin Cowling, a blimp working for the RSN from Planes, during his broadcasting of the World Grand Prix.
 * Roy cheerfully shrieks "And they're off!" for the race in Italy.
 * An extra audio clip of Miles Axlerod's normal voice is mixed with his deep voice during the Lemon party.

Cars 3

 * During Lightning's interview with Shannon Spokes, and before Bobby Swift does a "cupcake" joke on him, Roy's lines "Wait for it...wait for it...in your grill!" is added.
 * Brent Mustangberger announces at the Los Angeles International Speedway for the final race of the 2016 Piston Cup season, replacing Bob Cutlass, but not Darrell Cartrip. This is taken directly from leaked footage of Cars 3 in January 2017.