CHEECH MARIN MISSES THE OPEN ROAD

Cheech Marin is the voice of the 1959 souped up Chevy Impala Ramone in Cars who owns Ramone’s House of Body Art in Radiator Springs, the local body shop. Che…

Cheech Marin is the voice of the 1959 souped up Chevy Impala Ramone in Cars who owns Ramone’s House of Body Art in Radiator Springs, the local body shop. Cheech grew up with cars knowing every make and model and misses the simplicity of driving on roads instead of interstates. He says the fictitious town of Radiator Springs was inspired by such vintage freeways.

Cheech, a native Californian who spends most of his time driving on freeways and sitting in traffic says cars are like companions because you spend so much time with them.

“Radiator Springs is the town that time forgot, a real classic Americana that was inspired by John’s trip that he made with his family on Route 66 where you see those places and parts of them in different towns but he made a monument to them. Everything is classic and the cars because we live in such a car culture. It’s American kitsch you know as portrayed through the motel or hotels and every building that you see in Radiator Springs and just the mentality of the nostalgic era gone by.”

Cheech’s car Ramone has multi-colored neon pinstriping which were actually designed by an authentic Chicano car culture guy. Cars drives into theaters June 9.rnrn

“Cars are almost like pets when you spend a lot of time with them especially when you’re in California. You’re in them a lot, they’re safe, they cushion you, they have heat and they have sounds. Everything that you need is right there. They’re hermetically sealed and they keep you safe wherever you go so that’s kind of almost like a pet or a member of the family.”