In Pixar's Cars, the town's eccentric tow truck is named Mater.
Mater is Lightning McQueen's first close friend in Radiator Springs. He is a rusty, energetic tow truck who enjoys telling stories, showing visitors around town, and sharing his enthusiasm for tractor-tipping. His humor and loyalty make him one of the franchise's most recognizable characters.
Larry the Cable Guy provides Mater's voice. The character's name is pronounced like “mater,” the short form of “tomater,” matching the vegetable joke in his memorable line about being “like a rusty old tomater.” Mater's design emphasizes age, dents, and mismatched parts rather than polished racing performance.
Mater appears in all three main Cars films. In Cars 2, he becomes unexpectedly important to the spy plot, while Cars 3 returns him to a supporting role in McQueen's story. He is not the same character as Mack, McQueen's large transport truck.