Summary
Highlights
Explore characters like Rick Hicks, Chick Hicks' father, who influenced Chick's personality in comics. Mr. Windshield, a wise resident of Radiator Springs whose shop was given to Ramone, and Big Al, a truck character mentioned as having left Radiator Springs 15 years prior to Lightning McQueen's arrival.
Discover how Finn McMissile was initially slated for a cameo in a movie watched by Lightning and Sally, with a different design. Also, learn about an early, scrapped Cars concept from 1996 featuring an electric car in a gas-guzzling town with human presence.
Delve into the darker original plot for Cars 2, where Professor Z was a more ruthless villain. This included a deleted scene where Agent Healy is brutally crushed for information, highlighting the film's initial intent for a grittier espionage narrative.
Learn about Julia, who was originally intended to be Mater's love interest and later revealed as a spy for Professor Z. Also, discover how Fabrizio was supposed to be a World Grand Prix racer, and Raoul Ça Roule was initially envisioned as a female racer named Michèle Mouton or Sébastien Citroën, a tribute to Sébastien Loeb.
Uncover Marlena Wolsberg, an early, German version of Carla Veloso, who was intended to be a hometown hero at one of the World Grand Prix races.
Explore a significantly darker plot for Cars 3 where Gerald, a depressed car, kidnaps Lightning McQueen, switches bodies with him, and takes over his life. McQueen, stuck in Gerald's body, attempts to expose this identity theft, leading to a dramatic house fire and McQueen becoming a fugitive.
Discuss the various iterations of Cruz Ramirez, including a male detective version in the Gerald plot, a male racer, and finally the female trainer we see in the final film.
Learn about Ecto-1, a celebrity car from the Ghostbusters franchise, that was planned to appear as a guest at a party scene which was ultimately cut from Cars 3.