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Cars 2 was a forgettable entry in Pixar's animation series, thanks to its uninspiring spy plot that steered the series closer to action movie territory. Much to our relief, Cars 3, one of our most anticipated car movies of the year, is taking the series back to its racing roots. After teasers hinted at a drastically darker tone and introduced us to a new cast of characters, the final full length trailer for Cars 3 has arrived ahead of its June release - and it looks like it will be a fun and surprisingly emotional ride.

The latest trailer gives us a closer look at McQueen's near-fatal accident that made us question the darker direction the series looked like it was taking in the initial trailer. While new story details shown in the new trailer assures us that Cars 3 won't be overbearingly bleak, the themes of legacy and failure are surprisingly mature for a kid's movie.

McQueen's racing days are seemingly over when the ageing race car becomes outdated next to his faster, more modern high-tech rival Jackson Storm who consistently sets blistering lap times (do we detect a dig at the auto industry's obsession with record lap times?). He's encouraged to retire and live off his legacy through corporate sponsorship and product endorsements. But because this is a Pixar film, you know the story is going to take a heart-warming turn. McQueen isn't ready to retire just yet, so he enlists the help of young race technician Cruz Ramirez and some old friends from the previous films help him get back on track and race another day.

The animation looks like it has evolved considerably since the first film in 2006 too - the CG environments look eerily realistic in some shots. Mater, voiced by Larry The Cable Car Guy, also makes a few appearances to provide some comic relief – let's hope they're fleeting in the final film. Cars 3 is looking like it will be a return to form that will resonate with adult racing enthusiasts as well as children when it roars into cinemas on June 16.