Mater is known as the world’s best backwards driver in Pixar’s Cars.
Mater is a rusty tow truck from Radiator Springs and Lightning McQueen’s most enthusiastic friend. He demonstrates his unusual skill while helping McQueen navigate the town. The gag also reveals Mater’s confidence and improvisational personality: he treats a practical driving trick as a celebrated personal talent.
Larry the Cable Guy voices Mater, whose full name is commonly given as Tow Mater. The name is a pun on “tomato,” reflecting the Southern-flavored humor associated with the character’s speech and mannerisms. Mater’s friendship with McQueen becomes one of the central emotional relationships in the franchise.
Mater returns as a major character in Cars 2, where his accidental involvement in international espionage drives the plot. He also appears in Cars 3 and in the short-form series Mater’s Tall Tales, which exaggerates his stories for comic effect.