This was Joe Ranft's final film, since he died in a car accident the year before its release, while the film was still in production. McQueen found another way to embarrass himself at a demolition derby. Makes me feel sorry for the guy. Not really! Cars is the last film worked on by Joe Ranft, who died in a car accident in 2005. The film was the second to be dedicated to his memory, after Corpse Bride. This is also the last (non-documentary) movie for Paul Newman before his retirement in 2007 and his death in 2008. It turned out to be the highest-grossing film of his career.

Epic Fail: Lightning's first attempt at turning right to go left, which results in him going over the edge of a drop and into another cactus patch. And then to add insult to injury, a cactus, dislodged by the impact, falls on top of him.Harry Potter' author J.K. Rowling mentions in the documentary J.K. Rowling: A Year in the Life that the movie Cars is amongst her daughter's favorite films. McQueen's agent Harv is voiced in the American release by Jeremy Piven, best known for his role as Hollywood superagent Ari Gold on Entourage. In the foreign markets, he's voiced by Jeremy Clarkson, known for his part as the former host of Top Gear. Won: Best Song Written for Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media - Randy Newman for "Our Town"

When Lightning was about to be hooked up to Bessie for community service, Mater took off the clamp without hooking him up to Bessie first, not realizing that Lightning could simply zoom off once the clamp is removed, and he does. Doc gives him a Death Glare in the process. Mater lampshades this seconds later by saying he thinks he should have hooked Lightning up to Bessie first before removing the clamp. What's an X Like You Doing in a Y Like This?: Lightning asks Sally how did a Porsche like her end up in the middle of Radiator Springs. She mentions how she was an attorney in California who broke down near Radiator Springs. Since she was happy around the caring townsfolk, she decided to stay.He won from his second to his last race to be champion of the Piston Cup at the Southern Speedway until the Los Angeles 500 for McQueen and the veterans to enjoy his retirement. Paul Newman as Doc Hudson, a 1951 Hudson Hornet, later revealed to be the Fabulous Hudson Hornet. He is also a doctor and a judge. (This was Newman's final film role before his retirement in May 2007 and his death in September 2008). In Lightning's dream about a "Lightning Storm" film, a car gets zapped by a tripod sparkplug bot and emits the Wilhelm scream. The Wilhelm scream is a sound effect used in many movies, including the original Star Wars film.

This is Pixar's final film to be an independently produced motion picture (to use the old animation like Toy Story) before Pixar was bought by Disney. Starting from Ratatouille, the Pixar films were made with newer animation and animation used on Disney films. Lightning: Oh, like you? You've been here how long and your friends don't even know who you are?! Who's caring about only himself?! The character "Fillmore", referring to the famous San Francisco music venue The Fillmore, was at one time to be named "Waldmire" after Bob Waldmire, a self-proclaimed hippie artist known to Rt. 66 fans for his detailed pen-and-ink maps and postcards of the route. Though Waldmire's family owns the Cozy Dog Drive-In, Bob, having since become a vegan, preferred not to see his name put on a character that "would become a McDonald's Happy Meal toy." Cars 2: You Might Think • Polyrhythm • Mon Cœur Fait Vroum (My Heart Goes Vroom) • Collision of Worlds • Nobody's FoolWriters Cannot Do Math: Lightning says at the beginning, "One winner, 42 losers," implying there are 43 racers competing (as if this were a Cup Series race pre-2016). During the race, only 36 racers are shown, the size of an Xfinity Series field. Unless we're to assume that some cars had already been taken out in an earlier crash. Lightning Storm Space Assault • Ramone's Paint Blaster • Fillmore's Fuel Mixin' Area, Man • Mater's Sling Shoot • Luigi's Tire Toss • Doc's Clinic • Tractor Tippin' • Red's Firefighting Game!