Cruz Ramírez (2024)

"You need my help, Mr. McQueen!"

—Cruz Ramirez

Cruz Ramirez is a youngHispanicfemale sports car who instructs Lightning McQueenand the deuteragonist in Cars 3. A member of the more recent generation of cars, Cruz still believes Lightning has potential, and works at the Rust-eze Racing Center to coach Lightning.

Personality[]

She is described as "optimistic, sunny, fierce, and friendly,"^[1] and uses a voice command assistant called Hamilton.^[2]

Official Bio[]

^[3]

Cars 3[]

Cruz is a kind, optimistic trainer for the Rust-eze Racing Center, first seen coaching a few cars on the treadmills. She is introduced by Sterling to Lightning McQueen, who enlists her help in defeating Jackson Storm after his big crash. She tells Lightning that she's a big fan of him, and grew up watching him on television (even referring to him as "[her] senior project"). She starts Lightningout with some simple exercises, though Lightninggets increasingly impatient by this and quickly goes on the racing simulator against Cruz's advice, though he ends up losing control of himself and crashes into the screen. After Lightningconvinces Sterling to give him another chance to race, Cruz is sent by Sterling to join Lightningon Fireball Beach to train.

Cruz plans to use her digital assistant Hamilton to track Lightning's speed, but Lightningmust stay close to Cruz for this to work. Lightningand Cruz spend the entire day on Fireball Beach, with the former ending up training the latter how to race on sand after Cruz fails to do this several times. They then successfully race to the end of the beach, with Lightning's top speed gauged at 198 mph, which is slower than Jackson Storm. Lightningdecides to do further training at Thunder Hollow, with Cruz joining him.

When they arrive, both Lightningand Cruz go by the fictional identities of Chester Whipplefilter and Frances Beltline, respectively. Lightningis covered in mud to avoid paparazzi. However, the two soon realize that they are at a demolition derby, and it is too late for them to leave. They must race against the other participants in the derby, including champion Miss Fritter. Cruz is saved from death twice by Lightning, and is later declared the winner. However, she accidentally trips a water truck over, which splashes water on Lightningand exposes histrue identity to the crowd and the world, as the events are reported on the news.

While they leave Thunder Hollow, Cruz tries to cheer up Lightning, who just stares angrily at her. When he finally does talk, he explodes in angerat her, saying that instead of training to be faster than Jackson Storm, he's too busy taking care of Cruz. Upsetby Lightning's words and the destroyed winner trophy, she orders Mack to pull over, and asks Lightningto ask her if she wanted to be a trainer her whole life. She tells him that her whole life, she wanted to be a racer just like him. However, her family didn't believe she should pursue this, and when she had the chance to do her first race, she got overwhelmed by fear ofthe other cars and left. Cruz then drives off on her own.

Later, Mack and Lightningcatch up to her, with Lightningapologizing for yelling at her and convincing her to join him on a trip to Doc Hudson's home town of Thomasville. When they arrive, they do a lap on the dirt track where Doc used to race before meeting Smokey, Doc's old crew chief. He takes them to a bar, where they also meet fellow racers River Scott, Junior Johnson, and Louise Nash. They exchange stories about Doc's glory days, as Cruz learns more about Lightning's former crew chief.

Before Lightningstarts training again, Cruz has tape put on her to resemble Jackson Storm, and starts way ahead of Lightningsince he missed the qualifiers in Florida, and would have to start in last place. They race for three laps, though Lightningends up losing to Cruz. Smokey teaches them other techniques, including maneuvering through a tractor stampede, and racing through a forest at night without their headlights on. Lightningand Cruz start getting the hang of both exercises.

Lightning, Cruz, Smokey, River, Junior, and Louise all watch footage from one of Doc's old races. They see that he uses a technique called drafting, in which he uses the barricade to flip over a rookie, who tries slamming him into the wall, to win the race. Lightningand Cruz do one last race before going to Florida, with Lightningable to go faster this time. However, he still loses to Cruz, and the two head off to Florida.

Lightning is joined by Cruz, Smokey (as his crew chief), and his pit crew as he starts the race. He moves up the ranks as the race progresses. Meanwhile, Sterling orders Cruz to leave the stadium because she's a trainer, which Lightninghears. He then quickly asks to get her back into the pits. Cruz gets a call from Lightning as she leaves, calling her to get back into the pits. Once she does, Lightningtells her that she's getting her first chance to race, remembering her story about wanting to be a racer. Sterling tries to intervene, but is towed back and distracted by Mater. With racing tires, a spoiler, and the #95 painted on her by Ramone, Cruz goes onto the track to finish the race.

At first Cruz become unsure about herself, but Lightning,now as her crew chief, reminds her about their experiences and training at Fireball Beach, Thunder Hollow, and Thomasville. With them in mind, Cruz's confidence rises and races past the others one by one. She gets into the top ten, and soon gains the attention of Jackson Storm. Jackson Storm then slows down to Cruz and tries to talk her down to minimize her confidence. Lightning tells Cruz that Storm wouldn't resort to such tactics if he didn't see her as a threat, and Cruz's confidence grows again.

In the last lap, Cruz is right behind Storm, and taunts her rival to anger him and cause him to lose his focus. Jackson Storm, getting desperate, rams Cruz into the wall and tries talking her down again. After being told she doesn't belong on the track, Cruz replies that she does, and then flips over Storm like Doc did, thereby winning the race and gaining huge cheers from the crowd.

Lightning and everyone else congratulates her on the win. Sterling tries to convince Cruz to race for him, which she quickly declines. Tex then offers her to be the next racer for Dinoco, which she accepts. Lightningand Cruz are both declared the winners of the race.

Back in Radiator Springs, Cruz now sports the Dinoco logo and the #51, a number which she says Lightning suggested. Meanwhile, Lightning shows off a brand new dark blue look as "The Fabulous Lightning McQueen", with both him and Cruz carrying on the legacy of Doc Hudson. Lightning, now Cruz's mentor, tells her that Tex purchased Rust-eze from Sterling, and that they now race for him. After a friendly banter between the two, Lightningand Cruz have a practice race around Willy's Butte.

Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool[]

In Miss Fritter's Racing Skoool, Cruz is celebrating the achievement of her Florida 500 trophy with McQueen, when they both see a commercial starring Miss Fritter. However, the loud volu

Cars on the Road[]

Gettin' Hitched[]

In the final episode of the first season of Cars on the Road, Gettin' Hitched, Cruz is revealed to be attending the wedding, happily reuniting with McQueen and Mater. The groom is revealed to be Mateo, one of her cousins. When Mater says the bride is his sister, she's ecstatic at the prospect of having a family connection to Mater due to the marriage. Throughout the course of the episode, she reveals that she's done a lot of things during the off season, including, opened a racing school, formed a non-profit organization that provides snow tires to the “lightly treaded,” and is learning French. She also confirms that she is a licensed wedding officiant after Justice Stern left and pronounces Mato and Mateo as married.

Development[]

To give Cruz a positive set of expressions and movement, the character riggers used 656 controls; 360 were for Cruz's body, and 296 were used for her face.^[4]

Specifications[]

• Vehicle type: 2017 CRS Sports Coupe^[1]
• Top Speed: 210 mph
• 0-60 mph: 3.8 seconds
• Engine Type: High Performance DOHC V-6
• Chassis: Aerodynamic Venturi Channeled
• Body: Lightweight alloy

Trivia[]

• Cruz' license plate is licensed in Texgas and reads "C01 06A". It includes her voice actor Cristela Alonzo's initials, "CA", and birthday, January 6.
• Cruz has 656 rigging controls, including 360 for her body and 296 for her face.^[4]

Quotes[]

• "I am so excited that I get to train you. I grew up watching you on TV!" - Cars 3
• "These young guys are great and all, but I like a challenge." - Cars 3
• "In fact, I call you my senior project." - Cars 3
• "I'll be back in a few." - Cars 3
• "We'll work up to the higher speeds right after you take your nap." - Cars 3
• "The beach ate me." - Cars 3
• "I used to watch you on TV, flying through the air. You seemed so.. fearless!" - Cars 3
• "You won't talk me out of this, Mr. McQueen. I'm going back! I resigned as your trainer." - Cars 3'
• "Hey, isn't that your old crew chief?" - Cars 3
• "Oh, right. Uhh... Too tight! I'm a fluffy cloud.. I'm a fluffy cloud.." - Cars 3
• "Are you sure you have time for this?" - Cars 3
• "Doc would be proud of me." - From the alpha version of Cars 3: Driven to Win
• "Hey, do you have an invitation?" - Gettin' Hitched
• "Ok, Lightning! No, I'm sorry, that just sounds weird." - Gettin' Hitched
• "Oh, it's my cousin Mateo's wedding. He's getting hitched to some "eccentric socialite"." - Gettin' Hitched
• "Great! I started a racing school, formed a non-profit that provides snow tires for the lightly-treaded, and I'm learning French!" - Gettin' Hitched'
• "Uh, did I mention I dabble in family therapy?" - Gettin' Hitched
• "Well, I think we had a very transformative conversation." - Gettin' Hitched
• "Not to worry! I'm also a licensed wedding officiant." - Gettin' Hitched
• "I now pronounce you, married!" - Gettin' Hitched
• "It was really great seeing you guys. Have a safe flight back!" - Gettin' Hitched
• "Aw, you got it, Lightning. Ew, no, still sounds weird!" - Gettin' Hitched

Gallery[]

Concept Art[]

References[]