Is Tony suffering from the same hull issues as Independence is? with the molecular deterioration or whatever it's being dubbed?
No. It's a
cartoon movie. Please don't tell me I need to explain that concept to you.
I saw the movie, and YES, he IS...They did take some liberties with the LCS idea (Having fixed, surface running torpedo tubes that he fires against Finn McMissile early on, the fact that Tony and his Brother or Sister are lifted up onto an oil rig, etc...) he is showing some signs of deterioration, and his hull number is 02. In place of the 57mm gun, he carries an retractable 8-cell missile launcher with a laser-sight-like system (kinda like a laser aiming module) modeled after a RAM launcher. He also has a "
manned" machine gun atop the superstructure as well as an extendable electromagnet (which ultimately leads to his death.)
and as far as Character deaths, there are NINE deaths in Cars 2, surprisingly violent for a kids movie (even a Disney movie, which brought you the traumas of Bambi's Mom and Nemo's Mom)