Cars 2 was the first Pixar Cars film to feature international espionage as its main story.
Released in 2011, Cars 2 follows Lightning McQueen as he enters the World Grand Prix and Mater as he becomes entangled in a spy mission. British agents Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell believe Mater may be a secret operative after a case of mistaken identity.
The film expands the series beyond Radiator Springs, visiting Tokyo, Porto Corso, and London. Its plot combines racing with covert operations, secret technology, villains, and a global conspiracy involving Allinol fuel.
Cars, the 2006 original, centers on McQueen’s personal growth after he is stranded in Radiator Springs. Cars 3 returns to a more traditional racing and mentorship story, focusing on McQueen’s challenge from Jackson Storm and his relationship with Cruz Ramirez. Cars 2 is therefore the franchise entry most clearly structured as an espionage adventure.