Mater is the rusty tow truck voiced by Larry the Cable Guy in Pixar’s Cars.
Mater lives in Radiator Springs and becomes Lightning McQueen’s closest friend. His simple, enthusiastic outlook contrasts with McQueen’s early ambition. Mater helps McQueen understand the town’s residents and eventually supports him during the Piston Cup finale.
The character’s name is pronounced like “mater,” a shortened form of “tomater,” matching his playful speech and rural humor. He is also identified as a tow truck, which explains his mechanical design and his role in helping stranded vehicles. His weathered appearance is part of the character’s charm rather than a sign that he lacks importance.
Mater became prominent beyond the first movie. He is the central character in the animated series Mater’s Tall Tales and appears throughout Cars 2 and Cars 3. A common mix-up is identifying him as a tractor or race car; Guido and Luigi are the small Italian tire-service characters, while Chick Hicks is a competing race car.