Lightning's last name is a tribute to Glenn McQueen, a supervising animator at Pixar who passed away prior to the release of Cars, though the implied reference to the legendary actor and car guy Steve McQueen is certainly a bonus.
Due to the computer-animated nature of the movie, the make and model might not be obvious. Lighting McQueen is modeled after the Chevrolet Corvette C1 and the Chevrolet Corvette C6.
Hardcore historical NASCAR fans know that Hall of Famer Herb Thomas (2013) was the first two-time premier series driver champion and that his career became the basis for the Doc Hudson character in the hugely successful “Cars” film franchise.
Chick is a 1979 Shyster Cremlin, a car that does not exist. It is based on and designed after a 1986 Buick Regal. Chick is painted green, with an 86 painted on his doors, and has yellow rims.
Many characters from "Cars" are drawn from real cars. Some are difficult to recognize, and some are exact copies of a real car. For example: Fillmore, Michael Schumacher, Snot Rod, Mama Topolino, Natalie Certain and many others from the cars movie are real car models.
Sheriff (voiced by Michael Wallis) is a 1949 Mercury Eight police car. Sheriff is painted in classic black and white with a single red light dome, two sirens, and curb feelers.
Much of the story is based on the recollections of barber Angel Delgadillo in the Route 66 town of Seligman, Arizona, where business withered soon after the opening of I-40.
Voiced by actor Armie Hammer, Jackson Storm is the quick, cocky, and friendless rival for McQueen. In the movie he's younger, fitter, and faster than the lead. In the movie he's called a 2017 Custom-built “Next-Gen” Piston Cup Racer. In real life he most resembles the 2002 Cadillac Cien supercar concept.
The King is a 1970 Plymouth Superbird with a 426 Hemi V8 engine, the car Richard Petty drove. The Plymouth Superbird was a heavily modified version of the Plymouth Road Runner, specifically designed for stock car racing. Its radical design was later banned by NASCAR.
The Sally Special. A one-of-a-kind Porsche 911 designed in collaboration with Pixar as a tribute to none other than the iconic Sally Carrera of the studio's “Cars” franchise. That's right. A car.
In Cars 2, Doc died before the events of the film (his voice actor, Paul Newman, died in 2008) and the Piston Cup was renamed in his honor, with his clinic being converted into a museum that displayed trophies and mementos from his career.
Flo is simply based on a Motorama Show Girl, modeled after a 1957 GM Motorama Show Car. She is a modified 1955 Lincoln Futura with large tail fins. Her license plate reads "SHO GRL", a reference to the fact that she was a show girl before she came to Radiator Springs.
Paul Newman appeared as Doc Hudson in "Cars," the short film "Mater and the Ghostlight," as well as "Cars 3." While there were plans to keep Doc around, the creators felt Doc was too close to Newman's own personality for anyone else to play him.
She takes some inspiration from the Jaguar F-Type, Chevrolet Corvette C7, and the Ferrari F12 Berlinetta. While training with McQueen, Cruz has a yellow livery with the Rust-eze Racing Center emblem on her doors.
Finn is said to be a 1965 Faultless GT, which is a fictional model name, and an allusion to the 1958 Peerless GT, one of Finn's design main inspirations. Finn's tires read "Firewall". Finn's grille resembles a Van Dyke mustache. According to Cars 2: The Video Game, "Finn McMissile" may not be his real name.
He is not based on any particular type of vehicle, but seems to most closely resemble a C6 Chevrolet Corvette and Dodge Viper. His body is painted red with yellow and orange lightning bolt stickers featuring his racing number on his sides.
How the cool, blue star of the Cars movies inspired the 911 Sally Special. To Porsche fans, the standout star of Cars, Pixar/Disney's hit animated movie series, was the beautiful, blue 911 (type 996), Sally Carrera. Up until now Sally was only available in CGI form or a single full-scale, non-working, static model.
Luigi is a 1959 Fiat 500 who runs the local tire shop, Luigi's Casa Della Tires, “Home of the Leaning Tower of Tires.” He loves changing tires for racecars like Lightning McQueen, but nothing makes him happier than when a real Ferrari comes through his door.
In the 10 years between "Cars" and "Cars 3," McQueen has had quite a career. He's won several Piston Cups and numerous sponsor dollars from the Rusteze Corporation, makers of bumper ointment. But while McQueen was winning all those years, younger, higher-tech racers were moving up.
Strip "The King" Weathers is a main character in Cars and a side character in Cars 3. He is a Dinoco light blue ("Dinoco Blue") 1970 Plymouth Superbird. He is a seven-time Piston Cup champion (a feat that was later matched by Lightning McQueen) and a veteran Piston Cup racer.
Although Route 66 no longer exists as a U.S. Highway, the efforts of the communities along "America's Main Street" have kept it alive. Many organizations and associations are dedicated to promoting Route 66 and preserving it, so that we can drive it today and in the future. Not exactly a dead end, but a second chance!
Completed in 1926, Route 66 winds 2,448 miles from Chicago to L.A. Through most of the Western states, Route 66 follows Interstate 40, which eventually replaced much of the Mother Road. In some areas, the remnants of 66 parallel the interstate as a frontage road.
I can picture an easy day at the Wheel Well Motel that Sally takes Lightning to visit, though its glory days are over. The real motel that inspired this sweet gem in the film is the Wagon Wheel Motel in Cuba, Missouri.
