Cars 2 is the Pixar Cars film set partly in Japan, Italy, and the United Kingdom.
The sequel follows Lightning McQueen as he enters the World Grand Prix, a competition that travels through major international locations. The races and espionage plot take the characters away from Radiator Springs and into settings inspired by Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London.
The film opens with an undercover operation and then introduces the international race as its central public event. Mater becomes involved in the spy plot after being mistaken for an agent, while McQueen focuses on competing against racers from around the world.
Cars 2 was released in 2011 and directed by John Lasseter and Brad Lewis. It is different in tone from the first Cars movie, which focuses primarily on McQueen’s forced stay in Radiator Springs. Cars 3 returns to a more character-focused racing story, centered on McQueen’s struggle against newer competitors and his relationship with Cruz Ramirez.