Disney Pixar has revealed the first details of Cars 3. Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) “will need help to compete in the increasingly high-tech racing world of the upcoming Cars 3. That’s where the new trainer comes in — the sleek, yellow Cruz Ramirez is a young Hispanic female race car who instructs Lightning McQueen, as this exclusive concept art depicts during a beach run.” The preparation is for the Florida 500, which is like the Daytona 500.
“Cruz Ramirez is trying to figure out how this old dog can learn some new tricks,” says Cars 3 director Brian Fee. “Think of where he’d be in his career now in real time. (McQueen) is not an old man, but he’s one of the older cars on the circuit with new rookies coming in. People start to wonder and ask when he might retire.”
Fee adds that those questions grow louder after newcomer Jackson Storm beats him. “Jackson Storm is the face of these rookies who have come onto the scene. And McQueen is in a position where his entire racing generation is being pushed out. But it’s too early to be shown the door right now.”
Also back for the third installment are Mater (Larry the Cable Guy), Sally Carrera (Bonnie Hunt) and Ramone (Cheech Marin).
Directed by John Lasseter, the first Cars earned $461.9 million worldwide in 2006 and Cars 2 topped that with $559.8 million globally in 2011.
