Synopsis

Maggie Peyton comes from a family of NASCAR racers, but her cautious father refuses to let her pursue a racing career. After discovering Herbie, a lively Volkswagen Beetle with a mind of his own, Maggie enters the car in competition and gradually proves that she has the talent, courage, and determination to challenge an arrogant professional driver.

Factoids & Trivia

• Released by Walt Disney Pictures on June 22, 2005, the film was the first theatrical Herbie feature since Herbie Goes Bananas in 1980.

• Principal photography took place in California from August through November 2004. Locations included the former Riverside International Raceway, Auto Club Speedway, Hansen Dam, and Walt Disney Studios in Burbank.

• The production budget was approximately $50 million, while the film earned about $144 million worldwide.

• Maggie pays $75 for Herbie, matching the amount Jim Douglas paid for the same car in The Love Bug (1968).

• Disney held a June 19, 2005, sneak preview and offered free tickets to people named Herbert or a variation of the name, including Herb and Herbie.

• Several real NASCAR figures appear in cameo roles, helping connect the fantasy comedy to the world of professional stock-car racing.

• Director Angela Robinson said in the commentary that she deliberately left some visible equipment and deliberately obvious camera tricks in the finished film as a playful challenge for Herbie fans.