Cars 2 begins its World Grand Prix story in Tokyo.
The film opens with spy activity before shifting to the Japanese capital, where Lightning McQueen is invited to compete in the first race of the World Grand Prix. The event is organized by Miles Axlerod and is promoted as an international competition using Allinol, an alternative fuel.
Tokyo gives Cars 2 a setting very different from the desert roads and small-town streets of the first film. The production uses recognizable visual ideas associated with the city, including bright lights, dense urban scenery, and a nighttime race. After Tokyo, the World Grand Prix continues in Porto Corsa, Italy, and London, England.
Mater becomes central to the story when he is mistaken for a secret agent. The plot combines racing with espionage, including Finn McMissile, Holley Shiftwell, and a conspiracy involving the fuel. Cars 2 was directed by John Lasseter and Brad Lewis and released in 2011.