In Pixar's Cars 2, what is Mater mistaken for by British spy Finn McMissile?

In Pixar's Cars 2, Finn McMissile mistakes Mater for an American spy.

Finn is a British intelligence agent investigating a conspiracy connected to the World Grand Prix and a fuel called Allinol. During the Tokyo race festivities, he encounters Mater and assumes that Mater's accidental observations are evidence of secret intelligence work.

Mater is not a trained spy. His lack of sophistication, unusual behavior, and accidental discoveries nevertheless cause Finn and Holley Shiftwell to treat him as an undercover American operative. The misunderstanding drives much of the film's spy-comedy plot and separates Mater from Lightning's racing storyline.

The premise is distinct from the first Cars, where Mater is simply Lightning's best friend and a tow truck in Radiator Springs. It is also different from Cars 3, which returns the focus to Lightning's racing career and his relationship with Cruz Ramirez.