Lightning McQueen has a 750 horsepower, V8 engine that can do 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds. Its top speed was 200 mph. The make of his whitewall tires is "Fettucini Alfredo," named after a pasta dish. The car's make and model are not specifically identified.
The car is named not for actor and racing buff Steve McQueen, but for Glenn McQueen, an animator at Pixar who died in 2002. The character of the car is inspired by real-life athlete Michael Jordan, according to IMDb.
Lightning McQueen is portrayed as cocky, yet likable. In the movie, the car is favored to win the Piston Cup Championship in Los Angeles. As a rookie, he had a yellow stripe on his rear bumper.