The Cars franchise is a unique collection of films. Typically, one would expect child-friendly animation films to follow a group of unique humans and possibly an anthropomorphic setting through a colorful, bubbly landscape as they get up to fairly wholesome antics.
Cars follows a group of vehicles as they drive around making jokes about engines and petrol and racing that often are not understood by more general audiences. Despite its unique premise, the film was an utter hit and sparked a multi-film franchise that saw global success. Though their success does not mean that they are without flaws and plot holes. Today we will explore some of the issues that we had with the Cars franchise.
The Wrong Year
A major part of the first Cars film is that Lightning McQueen (the impressively quick red racing car who fronts the series) is the first rookie to win the Piston Cup. However, a bit of an issue arises when we are introduced to the well-decorated car Doc Hudson.
His trophies suggest that he won the cup back in 1951, 1952 and 1953. Impressive, however, his number plate states that he was made in 1951. Unless he is the quickest learner of all time, you’d expect he was still a rookie back when he won in 1951.
No Camera
This seems to be a problem that arises quite frequently in animated films: Security footage or video calls never really seem to make much sense. When Lightning McQueen is talking to Mack on his way to the first race in the film, they talk via video call.
The monitor inside the trailer shows McQueen’s face as he talks, but when we look inside where McQueen is, there definitely isn’t a camera in sight that he could have been looking into.
Old Gas Pump
There are quite a few issues with the gas pump that Sally uses to fill Lightning McQueen’s tank. If the film is taking place in the modern-day, then the prices are incredibly out of date. Less than half a dollar per gallon either suggests they’re way in the past, or they’ve found the best rate on the planet. However, the fact that no humans exist on this planet could explain lower prices. But this is not the only issue that exists with the pump.
One must also note that the type of pump is way older than would be used when compared to the tech seen in the rest of the world and the system doesn’t increase the price in any logical way as the gas is being pumped.
Impossible Light
When Lightning McQueen is approaching the crossing while trying to outrun the night train, the train starts to scream in horror. However, he was quite a long way when he first looks scared and certainly out of range for the train’s headlights to pick him up.
It might have been possible that the train heard him but that is quite unlikely due to the distance between the two.
The Leaf Pile
One of the more impressive shots in Cars shows Lightning McQueen dashing through a massive pile of leaves at top speed, sending them scattering every which way. However, the fact that the film is set in the glaring heat of summer, it is pretty unlikely that the tree would have started to shed its leaves this long before autumn.
Also, when he goes through the leaves, the angle of the shot shows that the tree they came from actually still had all of its leaves, so where did they all come from?
Mater Couldn’t Be Sir
At the end of Cars 2 (a film which exists as a non-sensical James Bond parody,) Mater is knighted by the Queen of England. The main problem with this is the fact that Mater is very much an all-American vehicle.
Citizens of countries outside of the commonwealth aren’t actually allowed to refer to themselves as Sir when receiving an honorary knighthood. This is a good thing, really, because it might get a little weird to refer to your car as Sir all the time.
Sir Miles Axlerod
Another knighthood-based issue arises in Cars 2. Sir Miles Axlerod, voiced by Eddie Izzard, is secretly the mastermind behind the entire plot of the film, and leader of the Lemon cars. It seems, like Mater, he was just another on the Queen’s long list of knighted cars (though he is British, so he can call himself Sir as much as he likes.)
However, Lightning McQueen refers to him as Sir Axlerod, which is incorrect etiquette that you’d think the car might correct. He should be calling him Sir Miles. This is not necessarily an issue with the plot but rather with the film’s consistency in portraying his character as he was not the type of person/vehicle that would let such a thing go. So, we must ask why does Lightning get away with calling him by the incorrect title?
Trafalgar Square Logistics
If one is familiar with London, one will know it is surrounded by some grand arches that cement its place as the central hub of Central London. The cars drive from Trafalgar Square into The Mall (which is where Buckingham Palace is) through the arch which is closed to the public and only opened if Royal Vehicles are using it to return to the Palace.
Everyone knows McQueen is a legendary racer, but we don’t think even he has managed to gain royal status.
“From Detroit?”
Curby Gremlin is the head of the Gremlin family, working under Professor Z as part of the strangely detailed spy universe of Cars 2.
It is well-known amongst car enthusiasts that this particular model of car is manufactured exclusively in Wisconsin, so it is a very noticeable plot hole for petrol heads when he claims he is “from Detroit”.
Veteran Racers
In Cars 3, the 2017 sequel, Natalie Certain explains that each week, veteran racer step aside (either through retiring or being forced to leave) in order to allow for the next generation of racers to enter the fray.
However, there just isn’t really time in the film for this number of cars to retire or be fired. When the next generation of racers push out stock cars, the season is almost over, making it almost impossible for this many veterans to leave.
