Mater becomes an undercover spy in Pixar’s Cars 2.
In Cars 2, Mater is mistaken for an American agent after an encounter connected to the international World Grand Prix. Spy cars Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell involve him in a mission, while Mater’s unusual behavior makes Lightning McQueen think his friend is embarrassing him.
Mater does not deliberately set out to become a spy. His accidental involvement drives the film’s comedy and mystery, while the larger plot concerns a conspiracy surrounding Allinol, an alternative fuel promoted for the World Grand Prix. The story combines racing with elements of a classic espionage adventure.
The film gives Mater a much larger role than he has in the first Cars. Although the spy premise is fictional, Cars 2 grounds its international setting in recognizable locations, including Tokyo, Italy’s Porto Corsa, and London.