Lightning McQueen (originally Montgomery McQueen) is a fictional anthropomorphic stock car, and is the protagonist of the animated Pixar franchise Cars, primarily voiced by Owen Wilson. His appearances include the feature films Cars, Cars 2, and Cars 3, as well as in the TV series Cars Toons and Cars on the Road. Lightning is also a playable character in each of the Cars video game installments. Lightning McQueen is the face of the Cars brand, and he is a popular mascot for Disney.
Lightning is a professional racer in the Piston Cup racing series, which emulates the NASCAR Cup Series, and acquires several Piston Cup victories during his career. In Cars 2, he competes in the World Grand Prix, a short-lived event promoting a new alternative fuel called Allinol. At the end of Cars 3, he briefly assumes the role of Cruz Ramirez's crew chief and mentor before returning to racing.
In the films, Lightning is sponsored by Rust-eze Medicated Bumper Ointment and wears their decals. He is not based on any particular type of vehicle, but seems to most closely resemble a C6 Chevrolet Corvette and Dodge Viper. His body is painted red with yellow and orange lightning bolt stickers featuring his racing number on his sides. His appearance undergoes updates through the films, but generally maintains the same image. Lightning is seen briefly with no paint or decals in Cars 3.
