Cars 2 features the World Grand Prix and a secret-agent plot.
Released in 2011, Cars 2 follows Lightning McQueen as he competes in a three-race international championship. Mater becomes entangled with British spies Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell after being mistaken for an undercover agent.
The film moves far beyond Radiator Springs, visiting Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London. Its story combines racing with espionage, including sabotage connected to the alternative fuel Allinol. This structure gives Mater a much larger role than he has in the first film.
Cars 2 was directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Brad Lewis. It is the second feature film in the Cars series, following the 2006 original and preceding Cars 3. A frequent mix-up is treating Cars 2 as a simple sequel about Lightning’s next race; its international spy adventure is the film’s defining premise.