The second Pixar Cars movie, released in 2011, is titled Cars 2.
Cars 2 was directed by John Lasseter and Brad Lewis. It expands the series beyond Radiator Springs by sending Lightning McQueen and Mater on an international racing tour. The plot features the fictional World Grand Prix, held in locations including Japan, Italy, and England.
Mater becomes central to the story after he is mistaken for an American spy. This shifts the tone toward an espionage adventure, with secret missions, criminal schemes, and international locations. The film therefore differs substantially from the small-town road story of the original Cars.
Cars 2 is sometimes called simply “the second Cars film,” but its official title uses the numeral 2. It was Pixar's twelfth feature film and was preceded by Toy Story 3 in 2010. Cars 3 later returned the franchise to a more racing-focused story about McQueen's changing career.