Pixar’s 2011 sequel featuring Lightning McQueen in the World Grand Prix is titled Cars 2.
Cars 2 follows McQueen as he enters an international racing series organized by oil magnate Sir Miles Axlerod. The story expands the franchise beyond Radiator Springs, visiting Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London during the three-race World Grand Prix.
Mater receives a much larger role in this sequel. After being mistaken for an American spy, he becomes involved in an investigation concerning a dangerous alternative fuel and a plot connected to the races. The film therefore combines racing, comedy, and espionage rather than repeating the small-town road-trip structure of the original.
Cars 2 was directed by John Lasseter and Brad Lewis. It is the second feature film in the Cars franchise, while Cars 3, released in 2017, returns more directly to McQueen’s racing career and his response to a new generation of competitors.