Jun 05, 2006 16:28
Porsche Goes Hollywood in New Disney-Pixar
Movie CARS
Porsche's Flagship Model
Stars as Leading Lady `Sally Carrera' in New Animated Summer Film
ATLANTA --(Business Wire)-- June 5, 2006 While Porsches are
accustomed to being stars of the road, the newest virtual Porsche
model may very well become a star of the silver screen this summer.
Disney-Pixar and Academy Award(R)-winning director John Lasseter
have become virtual car engineers of sorts and have taken Porsche's
flagship model, the Porsche 911, and created a sporty leading lady
called "Sally Carrera," who is one of the stars of the
fast-paced animated adventure CARS that premieres in theaters
nationwide June 9, 2006.
Even though Sally Carrera isn't a real car, she is the result of
several years of research and engineering by Pixar, a process that
rivals that of Porsche's famous automotive development.
CARS tells the story of a hotshot rookie racecar driven to
succeed who discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish
line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy
Route 66 town of Radiator Springs, where the town's offbeat
characters help him realize that there are more important things
than trophies, fame and sponsorship.
"Sally is the one modern car in the town of Radiator
Springs," says John Lasseter, the director of CARS and chief
creative officer of Pixar and Disney Animation Studios. "She's
a Porsche 911 and she's beautiful, beautiful." Adds Lasseter,
"It's interesting that people mostly think of a Porsche as
powerful and a guy's car, but the lines on a Porsche are so
beautiful that it fits perfectly for the character of Sally."
While the virtual Porsche is the only contemporary car appearing
in a leading role, Sally Carrera's selection was not a case of
corporate product placement. The model's unique attributes of being
high-performance, yet stylish and sophisticated, led the film's
creators to cast Sally as a Porsche.
"When we found the Porsche, it fit perfectly," said Bob
Pauley, one of two production designers for the movie.
"Director John Lasseter liked the idea of pairing the leading
man, `Lightning McQueen,' with a performance car that was tough and
strong, yet also sweet, attractive and had a 'nice
silhouette.'"
"We're excited John Lasseter chose to cast a Porsche in this
wonderful Disney-Pixar adventure," said Peter Schwarzenbauer,
president and chief executive officer of Porsche Cars North America.
"Having one of our most beloved vehicles featured in CARS gives
us a unique opportunity to reach today's customers and tomorrow's
aspiring owners in a new and compelling way."
Ever since Pixar requested that the film's leading lady be a
Porsche 911, Porsche Cars North America (PCNA) has been working with
the film-makers to support the creative process to help bring the
character to life, as well as other promotional activities to help
raise awareness of the unique universal appeal of the film.
Bringing "Sally" to Life
While an actual Porsche 911 has 320 horsepower, and can go from
0-60 in less than five seconds, the development of the virtual
"Sally" and the movie took more than five years, and
paralleled many of the same stages used in the creation of an
automobile.
Beginning in 2002, Porsche Cars North America provided a 911 to
the Pixar Animation Studios during the course of production so that
animators, designers, sculptors and story-tellers could see, hear
and feel a real Carrera first-hand, and then take that reality and
translate it into the animated character of Sally Carrera, voiced by
actress Bonnie Hunt.
Similar to the creation of a new vehicle, after initial sketches
were done, Pixar created prototypes of their visions with clay
models. With a real life-size Porsche 911 at Pixar, artists closely
studied the vehicle's design, movement, and dimensions. Lasseter's
mandate was that the CARS cast of characters must appear as real as
possible, and he insisted on what he called "truth in
materials," which meant that the animation could not stretch or
squash the cars in a way that would be inconsistent with their solid
metal frames.
Just as Porsche engineers complete miles and miles of testing on
tracks and on public roads around the world to make sure Porsche
vehicles behave in predictable, safe and yet entertaining ways,
Pixar animators performed extensive virtual "road testing"
to get their car characters to behave in mechanically-believable yet
entertainingly-personable ways.
For example, one of the aspects of the car that was studied by
the studio's artists was precisely how much of the suspension is
revealed as the car's front wheels turn.
On the Road
In addition to supporting the creative process, Porsche also
provided an actual 911 that was custom-made into a life-size version
of Sally Carrera, which is now touring with her co-stars, Lightning
McQueen, Mater and Mack, across the country with stops in over 40
cities, and highlighted by an appearance at the film's world
premiere in Charlotte, NC at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Porsche also partnered with Disney-Pixar to help tell the story
of CARS to different audiences and media outlets by co-hosting a
"virtual car launch" press event at Pixar's studios in
Northern California - complete with a screening and a special
behind-the-scenes look into the making of the film - attended by
members of the leading automotive industry media. This program has
helped generate coverage in automotive publications like Road and
Track, which do not normally cover a film release, in-turn promoting
the film to car enthusiasts everywhere.
Porsche is also hosting a special screening of the film for its
employees and families so they can experience the film together, and
will be introducing programs for its dealerships across the country,
as well as implementing a number of other marketing and public
relations programs. Additionally, Porsche plans to develop programs
surrounding the DVD release of CARS later this year.
In addition, earlier this year Porsche co-sponsored Pixar: 20
Years of Animation at the Museum of Modern Art in New York to pay
homage to the institution that reinvented the art of animation.
About Porsche Cars North America, Inc.
Porsche Cars North America, Inc. (PCNA), based in Atlanta, GA,
and its subsidiary, Porsche Cars Canada, Ltd., are the exclusive
importers of Porsche sports cars and Cayenne(R) sport utility
vehicles for the United States and Canada. A wholly owned, indirect
subsidiary of Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, PCNA employs
approximately 300 people who provide Porsche vehicles, parts,
service, marketing and training for its 213 U.S. and Canadian
dealers. They, in turn, provide Porsche owners with best-in-class
service.
About Disney-Pixar's CARS
CARS tells the story of Lightning McQueen, a hotshot rookie
racecar driven to succeed, who discovers that life is about the
journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly
detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. On route
across the country to the big Piston Cup Championship in California
to compete against two seasoned pros, McQueen gets to know the
town's offbeat characters who help him realize that there are more
important things than trophies, fame and sponsorship. The all-star
vocal cast includes free-wheeling performances by Paul Newman, Owen
Wilson, Bonnie Hunt and Larry the Cable Guy, along with Tony
Shalhoub, Michael Keaton, George Carlin, Katherine Helmond, Cheech
Marin, John Ratzenberger, Paul Dooley, Michael Wallis, Darrell
Waltrip, racing legend Richard Petty, Jenifer Lewis and Jeremy Piven.
Fueled with plenty of humor, action, heartfelt drama, and amazing
new technical feats, CARS races into theaters on June 9th.
Porsche Cars North America
Public Relations
Tony Fouladpour, 770-290-3667
or
Creaxion
Rick Phillips, 404-495-4509
