Yes, the ego has landed! Coming in the form of a life-size replica similar to the models seen at Disney’s California Adventure park and Disney-MGM Studios Florida last year, the sleek and shiny red racing hero (known as Flash McQueen in France) has every detail perfected – from “Lightyear” tires to his “Rusteze Bumper Ointment” stickers.

In a great example of being in the right place at the right time, one of our readers was kind enough to send in a couple of photos taken from Studio Tram Tour. After five years of Jeremy Irons and Dinotopia, the tour easily provided one of its most exciting moments for passing guests. As their tram passed by the main route from backstage to the Toon Studio construction site, Lightning McQueen was resting on a fork-lift truck waiting to be carried across and dropped off at Cars Race Rally!

The replica joins Mater (known as Martin in France), who arrived a few days earlier, to greet guests at the entrance of the attraction in the park’s new Radiator Springs settlement (as seen in the concept art below) and “cheer visitors on” as they compete in the race rally spin-out in the dusty “canyon” below.

In the US resorts, the vehicles appear as drive-around models who enter and exit the park several times a day to meet guests. For Paris, they will likely be presented simply as stationary figures, allowing guests to pose for photos and meet their heros all throughout the day at Walt Disney Studios Park.

These two characters bring the total number currently confirmed for the attraction to three, since we have already seen that Luigi will also be featured in life-size form — recreated for the very first time especially for Paris — in front of his famous Casa Della Tires storefront, complete with Leaning Tower of Tires.

Lightning McQueen photos with thanks to Kevin Hollingworth.