Mater is recruited as an undercover spy in Pixar’s Cars 2 after being mistaken for an agent.
During the World Grand Prix events, British agent Finn McMissile and agent Holley Shiftwell mistake Mater’s awkward behavior for the actions of an American operative. Mater is pulled into an investigation involving the World Grand Prix, a mysterious criminal group, and a plot connected to the alternative fuel Allinol. His accidental role drives the film’s spy-comedy storyline.
Mater is the rusty tow truck from Radiator Springs and Lightning McQueen’s closest friend. In the first Cars film he is primarily a comic local character, but Cars 2 places him at the center of an international adventure. His lack of polish and his habit of speaking plainly become unexpected advantages because enemies underestimate him.
Mater is voiced by Larry the Cable Guy. His spy assignment is fictional and does not turn him into a trained professional; the humor comes from the contrast between his ordinary tow-truck life and the sophisticated world of secret agents.