Professor Zündapp, more commonly known as Professor Z, is the secondary antagonist of Cars 2. He was a mad scientist, before his arrest in London.
Bio
Professor Zündapp, aka “The Professor,” is an internationally wanted weapons designer in a small, sophisticated German package. He is a brilliant, but mad monocle-wearing scientist who is plotting to sabotage the World Grand Prix. Though his true motive is unclear, Professor Zündapp is willing to do whatever it takes to eliminate all obstacles and keep the “project” on schedule.
During the film, it is learned that the Professor is not the main antagonist nor is he the leader of the lemon cars. As it turns out, he is actually working for Miles Axlerod, who he thinks is a mastermind lemon, since Miles disguises himself, but in the end, he becomes the true leader. Since Professor Zündapp is a scientist, Miles has him invent an electromagnetic pulse device which is disguised as a World Grand Prix camera, to use on the racers that use the gas Allinol. This was all part of a plan to turn the world against alternative energy and have all cars rely on gasoline, bringing profits to the lemon cars and himself due to the fact that they own the largest untapped oil reserves in the world. In the end, Axlerod isn't working for Professor Zündapp and the Lemons anymore.
At the end, Professor Zündapp is tazed by Holley Shiftwell. It is unknown what happened to him, other than he was arrested.
In Kinect Rush: A Disney/Pixar Adventure, in the first Cars level of the game, Professor Z appears on pictures that the player has to hit to get extra points when a new goal is unlocked. In the second level, he is heard talking as he tries to stop the player and Holley Shiftwell from deactivating the bomb on Francesco Bernoulli. He makes a physical appearance in the third level. He is in the helicopter with a convoy of trucks full of bombs. Throughout the level, he tries to stop Finn McMissile and the player from finding out where the bombs are being taken. In the ending cut-scene, he shoots a missile at the player while in midair, but the player dodges the missile and pushes Professor Z out of the helicopter before the missile hits the helicopter. Finn asks Professor Z if everyone is all right in there, only that he replies saying no thanks due to Finn, who then says, "No thanks required, mate. All in a day's work." When the level is completed with the player seeing their score and what they unlocked, Professor Z is seen with a parking boot, as to prevent him getting away.
Personality
Professor Z is evil, as noted by his attempt to sabotage the World Grand Prix. Several bios state that he is also a mad scientist.
Livery
Professor Z is painted two different shades of green, light and dark. He also has a large monocle that he wears over his windshield.
Model
The Professor is based off of a 1957 Zündapp Janus (as his name suggests), a micro-car in which back passengers sit facing backward. He has a top speed of 50 mph (55 mph downhill), which could be reached in 12 seconds. His engine is a 2-stroke single cylinder 250 cc, with a horsepower of 14.
His license plate is BAD GA 58, which appears to be a simplified version of "Bad Guy". The 58 is one of the years the Zündapp Janus was made (1957-1958).
Occupation
Professor Z is a mad scientist, bad to the bone. He is currently residing in the London prison.
Appearances
Feature Films
Video Games
Merchandising
- 1:55 Scale Diecast (regular, Captured)
- Micro Drifters
- Action Agents
- LEGO
- Disney Store Diecast Line
- Shake 'N' Go
- Tomica
- Wood
Trivia
- His name is inspired by his car design (Zündapp).
- In a deleted scene, Miles Axlerod gave him the C4 Bomb to put on Mater.
- When he opened the door to the lemon's meeting, he said "Guten Tag." Guten Tag is German for "Good day."
- Also, another German word he said is "Wunderbar" when he is informed by Grem that Finn McMissile is "dead". Wunderbar is a German word for "marvelous", "terrific" or "wonderful".
- Professor Z appears to have a severely damaged wire rack on his roof, which gives him the appearance of a comb-over.
- Along with Grem, Acer, Miles Axlerod and Victor Hugo, Professor Z is playable in Cars 2: The Video Game, even though they are villains, as well as all five should be residing in the London Prison, as the game takes place shortly after the second film. However, it could be that, along with the tracks, they are part of the simulation.
- Professor Z for some reason is always referred by his real name only by Finn McMissile. However, in Cars 2: The Video Game, in the cutscene when the game starts, McMissile refers to him as "Professor Z", and although McMissile and his voice actor Michael Caine are British, in that cutscene, McMissile pronounces the "Z" in Zündapp's name in the American way ("Z" in American is pronounced "zee" while in British is pronounced "zaid"). However, it could be that the "Z" in his name is always pronounced "zee" even in Britain (when referring to Professor Z). Also, although Professor Z pronounces "missile" in the British way (miss-i-all), he pronounces "can't" in the American way.
Quotes
- "Give it up, McMissile!!"
- "It's Finn McMissile! He's seen the camera! Kill him!"
- "With Finn McMissile gone, who can stop us now?"
- "It's the American spy!!!"
- "The project is still on schedule. You will find the second agent...and kill him."
- "Professor Z: "Guten Tag."
Tubbs Pacer: "Ah, it's just the Professor."
Victor Hugo: "Zündapp, when is he coming?"
Professor Z: "He's already here."" - —Professor Z arrives at the lemon's meeting., [[{{{3}}}]]
- "Big Boss: ". . .till Lightning McQueen is dead!"
Professor Z: "Of course." (phone call ends) "Allinol must be finished for good. McQueen cannot win the last race. Lightning McQueen must be killed!"
Mater: "No!" (his Ivan disguise turns off)
Professor Z: "It's the American spy!"" - —Professor Z plans to kill McQueen., [[{{{3}}}]]
- "Mater: "Let me go!"
Professor Z: "You actually care about that race car. A pity you didn't warn him in time."" - —Mater gets put tied up and put in the lemon's truck., [[{{{3}}}]]
- "Professor Z: "You! Why didn't my death ray kill you?!"
Lightning McQueen: "Death ray?!"
Finn McMissile: "Turn off the bomb, Zündapp!"
Professor Z: "Are you all so dense? It's voice-activated. Everything is voice-activated these days."
Mater: "Deactivate! Deactivate!"
Bomb: "Voice denied." (the bomb activates to explode in 5 minutes)
Mater: (gasp)
Professor Z: "Woops! Did I forget to mention that it can only be disarmed by the one who activated it?"
Holley Shiftwell: (unfolds shock guns) "Say it!"
Professor Z: "Deactivate."
Bomb: "Voice denied." (a minute was taken off the timer)
Mater: "Wha...?!"
Professor Z: "What? I'm not the one who activated it. Would anyone else like to try? Ah!" (gets shocked by Holley's shock guns)
Finn McMissile: "You read my mind."
Holley Shiftwell: "He was getting on my nerves."" - —Lightning, Mater, Finn, and Holley force Professor Z to deactivate the bomb., [[{{{3}}}]]
