The Simpsons 500: The Top Cars of 1989

By Robby DeGraff, Cars.com

The 500th episode of America's favorite cartoon, "The Simpsons," airs Sunday night. It's a record-setting show, the longest running primetime comedy in TV history. Of course, we've seen all sorts of animated cars on the long-running show, from "The Homer" (the car that Homer designed for his brother's company and which drove that company into bankruptcy) to Apu's red 1979 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am, screaming eagle hood decal and all. Let's travel back in time 23 years ago to see what the 5 best selling cars were when "The Simpsons" debuted in 1989:

Henry Rollins: Infiniti's Hardcore Voiceover Man

Celebrities’ lending their voices for commercials has been a huge trend in the automotive world the past few years. Hyundai made a splash getting Jeff Bridges as its gruff-but-soulful pitchman. Mercedes-Benz’s new cars are pushed by Jon Hamm, who portrays ’60s ad exec Don Draper in “Mad Men.” And Chevy uses everyman comedian Tim Allen to sell everything from big trucks to electric Volts.

A few weeks ago when I heard on the radio the unmistakable voice of underground music icon Henry Rollins talking about Infiniti’s latest sales event, I assumed the Japanese luxury brand decided to follow the trend and simply picked someone with more “attitude.”

Rollins is Infiniti’s voice, but he wasn’t handpicked because of his considerable persona. It was his voice, with no name attached, that won him the job.

Revisit 'Cars 2' Before it Hits Theaters

Pixar’s “Cars 2” hits theaters Friday, so before taking the kids to the theater — or telling friends you’re seeing “The Hangover Part II” and secretly buying “Cars 2” tickets — be sure to check out our coverage below. You’ll find our review of the movie as well as a behind-the-scenes look and exclusive info.  
 
Cars.com's 'Cars2' Movie Review
 
Behind The Scenes of 'Cars 2'
'Cars 2' Exclusive: First Look at Max Schnell
Exclusive: 'Cars 2' Racers Get Real Specs

'Cars 2': Movie Review

“Cars 2” is a faster, funnier film than its predecessor, and that's in part because racecar Lightning McQueen plays second fiddle to Tow Mater, the affable, bumbling tow truck.

While “Cars 2” has a different visual feel from the first movie, with Tokyo, Paris and London (among other places) remade through the eyes of car lovers, it has an underlying message that’s not too far removed from the first, which was, “Take time to see the world around you.” The message this time is “Be who you are no matter where you are.” The rust-bucket tow truck (voiced by Larry the Cable Guy) takes us through this journey of discovery. He’s still Lightning McQueen’s best buddy from Radiator Springs. McQueen is voiced by actor Owen Wilson.

Here’s the setup for the movie, which opens Friday: McQueen is invited to a new international race circuit that pits the best race cars from different styles (road racers, Formula One, NASCAR and more) in three races in Tokyo (spelled Towkyo on-screen), London and a coastal Italian town that owes as much to Monaco as it does to Rome. McQueen brings Mater along, despite some misgivings at how his, er, down-home buddy will fare in these sophisticated international surroundings. At the same time, Mater winds up in a James Bond-style spy mystery. Watch the backgrounds in each of these cities carefully; you’ll see Notre Dame redrawn with grilles, pistons and other car parts integrated into the architecture. A crucial scene is set in “Big Bentley,” the renowned timepiece in central London.

This is definitely a car guy’s movie.

Exclusive: 'Cars 2' Racers Get Real Specs

Pixar’s “Cars 2” hits theaters on June 24 and is filled with new characters that should look familiar to race fans; the film’s World Grand Prix storyline features faces that take inspiration from real racing series. Pixar gave us an exclusive rundown on how these animated autos stack up in the “Cars” world using numbers we’re familiar with in the real world such as horsepower, zero-to-60-mph times and top speed.

First up is the movie’s hero, Lightning McQueen, who packs a 750-horsepower V-8 and can reach 60 mph in 3.2 seconds on his way to a 200-mph top speed. The Max Schnell character we debuted on Cars.com has a 4.0-liter V-8 making 470 hp and tops out at 160 mph, which are specs close enough to pass tech inspection in the DTM German Touring Car Championship of which the Schnell character takes inspiration from.

Click through to see the complete list of characters and a full set of acceleration numbers and top speeds, and be sure to check out the new trailer for "Cars 2" here.

'Cars 2' Exclusive: First Look at Max Schnell

In Pixar’s upcoming “Cars 2” movie, the heroes from the original join a global cast of characters as they compete for the World Grand Prix and get caught up in international espionage. Cars.com has an exclusive reveal of one of the new faces (er, fascias?) that will join Lightning McQueen and Mater on screen.

Max Schnell is an ordinary German luxury sedan turned racecar. Max’s character takes inspiration from a real racing series, the DTM German Touring Car Championship, which features heavily modified Mercedes-Benz C-Class and Audi A4 sedans. In the real world, these competition versions make 460 horsepower from V-8 engines and tip the scales at a lightweight 2,300 pounds.

In “Cars 2,” Max has similar workings, with carbon fiber construction to drop as much weight as possible. Max has won more races at the fictional Motorheimring than anyone in his series.

You can read our behind-the-scenes look at “Cars 2,” which hits theaters June 24, here. A short video of Max in action is below.

Behind The Scenes of 'Cars 2'

“I just adore cars.”

That one statement tells you why director John Lasseter felt compelled to follow up Pixar’s hit film “Cars” with a sequel.

It seems that when Lasseter was traveling the world promoting the first film, he was constantly checking out traffic in each city he was in, thinking to himself, “How would these translate into a “Cars” world?”

That global view drives “Cars 2.” It takes Lightning McQueen out of Radiator Springs and puts him into a worldwide race circuit — “We were inspired by the International Race of Champions,” Lasseter said — pitting the “best of the best” on one course. That means pitting Formula One racers, rally cars and more against a heavily modified McQueen.

Oprah Gives Away Beetles, Sight Unseen

On Oprah’s final “Favorite Things” episode, which was so large it took two days to reveal everything, audience members were stunned to learn they were getting the redesigned 2012 Volkswagen New Beetle — even though no one has seen the new-look Beetle, not even us. There was some speculation the Beetle would be at the Los Angeles Auto Show last week, but it will go on sale in the spring, Oprah says.

In September 2004, Oprah gave an entire audience keys to the then-new Pontiac G6, and it stirred a little controversy at the time because she didn’t pick up the sales tax for all those new cars. According to CNN, Harpo Productions said in 2004 that sales tax would be the responsibility of audience members, who could choose to pay the taxes, sell the car and pay the taxes out of the proceeds or decline the G6. There was no mention (so far) about the sales tax on the Beetles.

Here’s the full list of prizes that Oprah’s audience received today:

Speed Dating in a Chevy Cruze

I’ve now found one of the last lines you should ever begin a conversation with if you’re sitting down to speed-date: “What do you think about the Chevy Cruze?”

This was my predicament while doing some immersion journalism in HurryDate’s “Love in the Fast Lane” speed-dating event in Chicago sponsored by Chevrolet in support of the new Cruze. Twenty-six-year-old Jessica T. (for some reason you’re not supposed to exchange last names — as if anonymity exists in the internet age) responded, “What’s a Chevy Cruze?”

When launching a new model that will compete against heavy hitters like the Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla and new Ford Focus, it’s best to clear that answer up. How much an event where sexual tension is the entire point helps people remember a car is a matter of opinion.

I was among the 60 evenly paired men and women who took turns sitting in the front and backseats of different Cruze trim levels. We got three minutes to exchange small talk and determine if we might have to someday meet each other’s parents. I spent half of this time explaining that I was on assignment, which was why I was more interested in the car we were awkwardly sitting in than, say, what she majored in during college.

Best New Car Commercials

Now that we've announced that Cars.com will have two commercials at Super Bowl XLV, it got us wondering what the best car commercials on the air are right now. Is it just us or have there been some creative, undeniably effective new ads out this year?

Perhaps in a fractured media world — Twitter, Facebook, YouTube ... and TV — automakers have simply had to step up their advertising game, or maybe new products like the all-electric Nissan Leaf simply cry out for attention-grabbing marketing.

Whatever the reason, here are a few of the commercials we like in no particular order. Chime in with your favorites and give us grief for any that we missed.