Cars Toon Épisode 13 : Asticoté, Red et la coccinelle

Cars Toon Episode 13: Bugged, Red and the Ladybug

1438 words | Reading time: 8 minutes

Short filmCars ToonRed

Radiator Springs' big red giant, beaten by one tiny flying bug. Bugged runs about two minutes and hands the lead to Red, the shyest fire truck in town. He blows at the intruder, honks at it, then finally soaks it with his hose, only to spot it stranded on Stanley's statue with its wings too wet to fly, and gently blow it dry. Part of the 2013 Tales from Radiator Springs trio, it is the first Cars short with no dialogue at all and the only Cars Toons episode featuring neither Lightning McQueen nor Mater. A look at the plot, the gags and the background.

Summary

Introduction: Red, Radiator Springs' Shyest Fire Truck

Among the Cars Toons short films, Bugged stands out for its ultra-short format of approximately two minutes and its unusual hero: Red, the large red fire truck from Radiator Springs.

This short is a light and endearing break in the collection, focusing not on Mater or Lightning, but on the town's most discreet and sensitive character — a gentle giant put to the test by a tiny adversary: a small flying creature (a Vroomaroundus Bugus according to the Pixar Wiki, a creature inspired by a VW Beetle).

📘 To discover another episode centered on daily life in Radiator Springs, you can also read Cars Toon – Episode 12: Hiccups.

🏁 The Piston Cup fits in a display case: proof with our Cars toy cars.

Red, the red fire truck of Radiator Springs, smiling outside the town's brick fire station
Red, the fire engine of Radiator Springs: a red giant of legendary shyness, whom Bugged finally gives the leading role.

Episode Summary: Bugged

In Radiator Springs, Red is quietly watering his flowers when a small creature comes to bother him by fluttering around.

Red first tries to shoo it away by blowing on it, then by honking — without success, the insect always comes back. He ends up spraying it with his hose, and the creature finally moves away.

But Red then spots it perched on Stanley's statue, its wings wet and unable to fly. Overcome with remorse, the big fire truck gently blows to dry it, until it can take off again. Red watches it fly away, satisfied, and returns to his flowers... before the creature returns, this time accompanied by two others.

🐞 To compare with another episode where a character is put in an embarrassing situation by something much smaller than them, also discover Cars Toon: Episode 4 - Mater's UFO.

This face-off between the red behemoth and the tiny creature results in a series of silent visual gags, in a style close to silent cartoons — with, in the background, the unexpected tenderness of a giant who saves the insect he has just chased away.

🌟 The Piston Cup atmosphere is displayed in large format: here are our Cars posters.

Red shoots a jet of water skywards with his hose outside the fire station
After blowing at it and then honking, Red moves on to the hose to get rid of the critter.

The Key Characters in This Episode

  • Red: the main and only hero of this short — a colossal fire truck but of legendary shyness, he is completely destabilized by the small creature
  • The Little Creature: an unintentional antagonist, small but persistent, it leads the dance without even realizing it

👕 As for wardrobe, show your colors with our Cars t-shirts.

A small blue critter flies in the foreground while Red watches it outside the fire station
Two characters, that is all: Red and the tiny flying critter, a Vroomaroundus Bugus inspired by the VW Beetle.

Why This Episode is Memorable

  • it is one of the few Cars Toons centered on Red, a character usually in the background in the saga
  • the ultra-short format (~2 minutes) makes it a light and effective interlude in the collection
  • the humor relies entirely on the size contrast between Red and the creature, without dialogue, in a pure cartoon style
  • it reveals an endearing facet of Red: behind the red behemoth hides a character of rare sensitivity in the Cars universe
Red sprayed by the jet from his own hose, water running down his windscreen outside the fire station
Silent-cartoon humour and a contrast in size: from aiming at the critter again and again, Red catches his own jet of water.

Cars Toons: The Series in Context

Bugged belongs to Pixar's Cars Toons: Tales from Radiator Springs, a trio of shorts (Hiccups, Bugged, and Spinning) released in 2013. Unlike the Mater's Tall Tales series focused on Mater, these shorts explore other residents of Radiator Springs.

Its light tone and lack of dialogue bring it closer to classic cartoons, a tribute to the silent animated short films of the 1920s-1940s.

🎬 To explore the entire Cars Toons collection, see Cars Toon: The Crazy Adventures of Mater and His Improbable Stories.

Illustrated title card of the Tales from Radiator Springs series
Bugged belongs to the Tales from Radiator Springs strand, a trio of shorts released in 2013 along with Hiccups and Spinning.

Where to Watch the Episode?

Bugged is available on Disney+ in the Pixar shorts section. Due to its very short format, it is sometimes grouped with other Cars shorts in compilations.

🎯 Find all our files and character sheets on the Cars Boutique blog.

Title card of the short film Bugged, with the small blue critter drawn on a sign
Bugged, the short film's original title: it can be found on Disney+, in the Pixar short films section.

Anecdotes

  • Red is one of the most beloved Cars characters precisely for his shyness — this episode pays him a tribute commensurate with his discreet popularity
  • it is the first Cars short film with no dialogue, which distinguishes it from all other Cars Toons episodes
  • it is also the only Cars Toons episode not to feature Lightning McQueen or Mater
  • the contrast is delightful: this tiny creature, though totally harmless, is perceived by Red as a real threat
  • Red's animation in this short is particularly careful regarding facial expressions, a technical challenge for a vehicle usually so inexpressive
Close-up of Red's windscreen, his eyes following something above him
Animating a fire truck with little expression: Bugged pays particular attention to Red's expressions, the only engine of humour in this dialogue-free short.

Summary Table

Element Detail
Original Title Bugged
French Title Asticoté
Episode Number 13
Series Cars Toons
Studio Pixar Animation Studios
Duration ~2 minutes
Main Theme Red bothered by a small creature
Central Character Red
Available On Disney+

Read also: all Cars Toon characters (the short film guide).

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is Bugged in Cars Toon?
    Bugged is a Cars Toons short film of about 2 minutes in which Red, the fire truck from Radiator Springs, finds himself bothered by a persistent little creature.
  • Who is Red in Cars?
    Red is the red fire truck from Radiator Springs. He is a discreet, extremely shy, but big-hearted character — appreciated by all the town's inhabitants.
  • Is Bugged available on Disney+?
    Yes, like all Cars Toons short films, it is available on Disney+.
  • Are there dialogues in Bugged?
    No, or almost none. The episode relies entirely on visual humor and Red's expressions, with no significant dialogue — a pure cartoon style.
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