Les Easter eggs Pixar cachés dans la saga Cars

Pixar Easter Eggs Hidden in the Cars Saga

1282 mots | Temps de lecture : 6 minute(s)

Summary

A Pixar Tradition

Since Toy Story (1995), Pixar has had fun hiding nods, called easter eggs, in each of its films: a mysterious code, a pizza truck, references to the studio's other films... The Cars saga is no exception, and it even contains more than most.

In this article, we review the most famous easter eggs hidden in Cars, Cars 2, Cars 3, and the short films — with, each time, the exact location to spot them.

A113: The Code Pixar Hides Everywhere

The most legendary Pixar easter egg is the code A113: it's the classroom number at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts) where many Pixar animators, including John Lasseter, studied. It appears in all of the studio's films.

In Cars, keep an eye out at two moments:

  • it's the number on the freight train that Lightning McQueen almost hits while speeding towards Radiator Springs;
  • it's also the license plate of Mater, visible in the film as well as in the short film Mater and the Ghostlight.

The Pizza Planet Truck, Always on Duty

The Pizza Planet delivery truck, which first appeared in Toy Story, is hidden in almost all Pixar films. In the Cars universe, it becomes a character in its own right: a pickup truck named Todd.

  • Cars — parked at a Dinoco station during Mack's journey, then in the audience of the final race.
  • Cars 2 — visible on the TV screen at the Wheel Well, then as a spectator at the Radiator Springs Grand Prix.
  • Cars 3 — in the middle of the Thunder Hollow demolition derby, alongside Lightning and Cruz.

📘 To learn all about this cult pickup, read our article on Todd, the Pizza Planet truck of the Cars universe.

The Drive-In in Cars' End Credits

Never cut the credits of Cars! The residents of Radiator Springs gather at a drive-in theater to watch automotive parodies of Pixar classics: "Toy Car Story", "Monster Trucks, Inc." and a car version of A Bug's Life.

The ultimate gag: the characters voiced by John Ratzenberger — Hamm, the abominable snowman turned snowplow, P.T. Flea — all appear in vehicle form. And Mack, himself voiced by Ratzenberger, exclaims that they "always get the same actor." A nod to the studio's tradition, which has made Ratzenberger its good luck charm since Toy Story.

🎬 Dive into these cult credits with our articles on Hamm's cameo in "Toy Car Story" and Buzz Light Car, the parody of Buzz Lightyear.

Lightyear and Dinoco: Brands from Toy Story

Look at the race cars' tires: they are from the Lightyear brand. This is both a parody of Goodyear and a direct tribute to Buzz Lightyear. Even the blimp that flies over the races, Al Oft, sports the Lightyear logo on its sides.

As for Dinoco, the highly coveted sponsor of the Piston Cup, the brand already existed at Pixar: it's the gas station where Woody and Buzz are abandoned in Toy Story. Eleven years later, it becomes the dream racing team of the Cars universe — its entire history is in our article on Dinoco, the legendary Piston Cup sponsor.

🖼️ Want to display these cult logos? Discover our Cars posters.

Cameos and Tributes: From Monsters, Inc. to John Lasseter

Characters from other Pixar films also make their way into the Cars universe, always "car-ified" for the occasion:

  • Mike and Sulley as monster trucks — in the short film Tokyo Mater (Cars Toon, 2008), Mater passes through a Japanese restaurant where the two stars of Monsters, Inc. appear as monster trucks. More details in our article on Mike Wazowski in the Cars universe.
  • The Harryhausen’s sign — in Tokyo in Cars 2, a neon sign refers to the sushi restaurant from Monsters, Inc.
  • John Lassetire — in Cars 2, this pickup truck is a direct tribute to John Lasseter, director of the first two films. His full portrait is here: John Lassetire, Cars 2's tribute.

🚗 To bring all these characters home, check out our Cars miniature cars.

How to Hunt for Easter Eggs?

Hunting for easter eggs is a great excuse to rewatch the saga! Some pro tips:

  • use pause and slow motion in crowd scenes and urban backgrounds, that's where Pixar hides most of them;
  • always watch the end credits, especially those of the first film;
  • observe license plates, signs, and logos: almost all of them contain a nod.

📀 The easiest way to track every detail frame by frame: the saga on Cars DVD and Blu-ray.

Summary Table

Easter egg Where to see it
A113 Code Freight train + Mater's license plate (Cars)
Pizza Planet Truck "Todd" Cars, Cars 2, and Cars 3
Drive-in "Toy Car Story", "Monster Trucks, Inc.", A Bug's Life Cars end credits
Lightyear tires and blimp Goodyear parody, tribute to Buzz Lightyear
Dinoco Toy Story gas station turned Piston Cup sponsor
Mike and Sulley as monster trucks Short film Tokyo Mater (2008)
Harryhausen’s sign Tokyo, in Cars 2
John Lassetire Cars 2 — tribute to John Lasseter

Read also

Read also: Bill's number 86 race car, a nod to 1986 (Pixar's founding) and the Luxo ball.

Read also: Mater and the Ghostlight, the first Cars short.

Read also: Fred, Lightning McQueen's rusty #1 fan, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s cameo, Jay Limo, the nod to Jay Leno.

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

What does the A113 code mean at Pixar?
It's the classroom number of the CalArts animation department where many Pixar artists studied. They hide it as a nod in all the studio's films.

Does the Pizza Planet truck appear in all Cars films?
Yes! Named Todd in the Cars universe, it appears in Cars, Cars 2, and Cars 3, always in the background.

Why is John Ratzenberger in all Pixar films?
The studio considers him its good luck charm: he voices a character in every Pixar feature film since Toy Story. In Cars, he voices Mack — and the end credits even make a joke about it.

Do Mike and Sulley really appear in Cars 2?
Not in person: their monster truck cameo is in the short film Tokyo Mater (2008). In Cars 2, the Harryhausen’s sign in Tokyo refers to Monsters, Inc.

Where can I rewatch the saga to look for easter eggs?
The films, series, and short films are available on Disney+, and on DVD/Blu-ray for frame-by-frame hunting.

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