Les Easter eggs Pixar cachés dans la saga Cars

Pixar Easter Eggs Hidden in the Cars Saga

1644 words | Reading time: 9 minutes

Behind the scenesA113Pizza Planet

Mater's license plate hides a CalArts classroom. The A113 code also appears on the freight train that Lightning McQueen nearly hits, while the Pizza Planet truck, renamed Todd, slips into Cars, Cars 2 and Cars 3. The Lightyear brand tires parody Goodyear, Dinoco comes straight from Toy Story, and Mike and Sulley pass by as monster trucks in the short film Tokyo Mater (2008). An overview of the Pixar nods hidden in the saga and of the exact spot where to catch them.

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.

Entrance gate of the Pixar studios: a metal beam bearing the words Pixar Animation Studios, under a blue sky.
The entrance to the Pixar studios in Emeryville, California, where the films of the Cars saga and their hidden nods come from. Photo: Sharon Hahn Darlin, CC BY 2.0.

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.
Mater, the rusty tow truck, seen from three-quarters behind on the street in Radiator Springs, his licence plate visible on the bumper.
Mater's plate reads A113, the number of the CalArts classroom where many Pixar animators studied.

🔩 Since it all comes down to a license plate, give your own wall that same garage spirit with our metal Cars decorative signs.

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.

Row of spectator cars parked behind straw bales, including a rusty yellow pickup in Pizza Planet colours topped with a rocket.
Renamed Todd in the Cars universe, the Pizza Planet truck slipped into the crowd at the Radiator Springs Grand Prix in Cars 2.

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.

Neon sign of the Radiator Springs Drive-In Theatre at night, its letter board announcing “Toy Car Story”.
In the closing credits of Cars, the residents gather at the drive-in for “Toy Car Story”, the automotive parody of Toy Story.

🍿 Radiator Springs has its drive-in, you have the sofa: settle in under one of our Cars blankets for your next Pixar night.

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.

Lightning McQueen in blue Dinoco bodywork, his tyres bearing the word Lightyear on the sidewall.
Two nods in one image: the Dinoco livery, a brand inherited from Toy Story, and the Lightyear tyres, a parody of Goodyear.

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.
John Lassetire, a yellow pickup decorated with red, white and blue stripes, presented against a dark background with his name written below.
John Lassetire, glimpsed in Cars 2, is a direct tribute to John Lasseter, director of the first two films.

📌 You can scatter a few discreet nods of your own with our Cars pins to pin on, and see who spots them.

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.
Packed grandstands of a racetrack seen from the track, with the giant screen and the standings board rising in the middle of the turn.
Stands filled with thousands of cars: these are the crowd scenes to pause on in order to track down the hidden details.

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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