Why, yes. As a matter of fact, that is a spark plug perched atop London’s famed Big Ben in Disney/Pixar’s new animated film “Cars 2.”
Watch out, ladies – “Mater’s fiddin’ to get funky” in this sequel to the 1996 Oscar-nominated “Cars.” This time, hero Lightning McQueen and his trusty sidekick Tow Mater jettison Radiator Springs and go international to compete for props as the world’s fastest car in the inaugural World Grand Prix. But it’s the bumbling and beloved Mater (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) who gets the real screen hero action when he’s tapped for a top-secret spy mission and quickly gets in over his headlights.
“Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world,” the plot summary reads. Secret agents, menacing villains and cutthroat international racing competitors round out the cast lent voices by some of Hollywood’s top film and TV stars: Owen Wilson, Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, Cheech Marin and Tony Shalhoub, to name a few.
Here at E3 Spark Plugs, we’re digging the “CARified” elements in the background animation, including the spark plugs that sit high atop London’s Big Ben and France’s iconic Eiffel Tower. Arches at the famed tower’s base take the form of wheels topped by car grill facades. We also spotted several spark plugs in Disney/Pixar’s redesign of the signature casinos of the European Riviera and the U.K.’s House of Parliament.
“Cars 2″ is set for release June 24 and will be presented in Disney Digital 3D and IMAX 3D in select theaters. Take a look at the trailer and let us know that you think.