Les Easter eggs Pixar cachés dans la saga Cars

Pixar Easter Eggs Hidden in the Cars Saga

1222 mots | Temps de lecture : 6 minute(s)

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A Pixar Tradition

Since Toy Story (1995), Pixar has enjoyed 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's even packed with more than most.

In this article, we review the most famous easter eggs hidden in Cars, Cars 2, Cars 3, and the short films — always with 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 the studio's films.

In Cars, keep an eye out at two moments:

  • it's the number on the freight train Lightning McQueen nearly crashes into 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 There

The Pizza Planet delivery truck, which 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 trip, then in the audience of the final race.
  • Cars 2 — visible on the Wheel Well's TV screen, 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 everything about this iconic pickup, read our article on Todd, the Pizza Planet truck in the Cars universe.

The Drive-in from Cars' End Credits

Never cut the end credits of Cars! The residents of Radiator Springs gather at a drive-in movie 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: characters voiced by John Ratzenberger — Hamm, the Abominable Snowman turned snowplow, P.T. Flea — all appear as vehicles. And Mack, himself voiced by Ratzenberger, exclaims that they "always hire the same actor." A nod to the studio's tradition, which has made Ratzenberger its good luck charm since Toy Story.

🎬 Dive into these iconic 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 brand Lightyear. This is both a parody of Goodyear and a direct tribute to Buzz Lightyear. Even the blimp flying over the races, Al Oft, bears the Lightyear logo on its sides.

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

🖼️ Want to display these iconic 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 drives 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, the Cars 2 tribute.

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

How to Hunt for Easter Eggs?

The easter egg hunt is an excellent 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 contain a nod.

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

Summary Table

Easter egg Where to see it
Code A113 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 Parody of Goodyear, tribute to Buzz Lightyear
Dinoco Toy Story gas station becomes 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

FAQ — Frequently Asked Questions

What does the A113 code mean at Pixar?
It's the classroom number for animation at CalArts where many Pixar artists studied. They discreetly include it in all the studio's films.

Does the Pizza Planet truck appear in all Cars movies?
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 movies?
The studio considers him its good luck charm: he voices a character in every Pixar feature film since Toy Story. In Cars, he lends his voice to Mack — and the end credits even make a joke about it.

Do Mike and Sulley really appear in Cars 2?
Not in person: their cameo as monster trucks is in the short film Tokyo Mater (2008). In Cars 2, it's the Harryhausen’s sign in Tokyo that 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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