Toyota just recreated one of Cars' most iconic scenes in real life and it's absolutely wild to watch
Published on Sep 28, 2026 at 4:09 PM (UTC-4)
by Daisy Edwards
Last updated on Sep 28, 2026 at 4:09 PM (UTC-4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
Pixar’s Cars has inspired plenty of real-world tributes, but Toyota may have just made one of the most fun yet.
The automaker and FIA World Endurance Championship recreated one of the movie’s most memorable scenes using an actual Le Mans-winning race car.
While it isn’t the same shot-for-shot, any fans of the iconic movie would know exactly where the video inspiration came from.
However, in real life, the outcome doesn’t end up with the Le Mans racecar getting stuck in Radiator Springs.
Toyota recreated the Cars Mack scene with a real race car
If you’ve seen the Cars movie, you’ll probably recognize the video immediately.
The video shows Toyota’s GR010 Hybrid hypercar sitting inside a transparent-sided trailer as several modified Toyota cars drive alongside it.
It’s a playful recreation of the scene where Lightning McQueen is being transported by Mack the truck before a group of street racers causes chaos around the truck.
Lightning eventually falls out of the trailer and becomes separated from Mack, setting up his unexpected trip to Radiator Springs, which is the whole movie.
Toyota’s version is considerably more controlled, but the reference is unmistakable.
The convoy even heads toward Fuji Speedway in Japan, giving the whole thing the feel of a real-life Cars sequence.
This wasn’t a movie prop
The best part is that the car inside the trailer is a genuine racecar which is the equivalent of Lightning McQueen in real life.
The GR010 Hybrid is Toyota’s Le Mans Hypercar, and the particular car featured in the video had just come off a major racing achievement.
Toyota won the 2026 24 Hours of Le Mans with its No. 7 GR010, driven by Mike Conway, Kamui Kobayashi and Nyck de Vries.
The victory came after 24 hours of racing, with Toyota finishing just 10.913 seconds ahead of BMW.
So rather than building a replica purely for the stunt, Toyota was essentially giving a real Le Mans winner its own Cars moment.
From Radiator Springs to Fuji Speedway
The timing of the stunt was linked to the FIA WEC’s trip to Japan for the 6 Hours of Fuji.
Toyota brought its Le Mans-winning car home ahead of the race, where it became the star of this rather unusual road trip.
The real race weekend ended with another Toyota victory, as the No. 8 GR010 driven by Ryō Hirakawa, Sébastien Buemi and Brendon Hartley won the 6 Hours of Fuji.
So the GR010 went from winning one of the world’s biggest endurance races to starring in what might be the most expensive recreation of a Pixar scene ever made.
Recreating this iconic scene shows that there are some real automotive fans behind the FIA World Endurance Championship marketing team.
Daisy is a technology and automotive journalist covering artificial intelligence, consumer tech, Apple news, cryptocurrency, emerging technologies, and transportation innovation. Since joining the team in 2025, she has reported on everything from AI-powered startups and major iOS updates to viral car stories and the latest developments shaping transportation and the digital economy. Drawing on her background in automotive journalism and a degree in History and Journalism from Goldsmiths, University of London, Daisy specializes in breaking down complex topics into clear, engaging reporting for a global audience. Her work spans cutting-edge technology, innovative vehicles, and the people driving change across both industries. Daisy has gained first-hand access to some of the world's most talked-about technologies and innovators, including meeting Tesla's Optimus humanoid robot during its first European appearance in London. She has also discussed the future of space exploration with an astronaut, bringing unique insights and real-world perspectives to her coverage of emerging technology.
