Cars 2 was the first Pixar Cars movie to send Mater on an international spy adventure.
Released in 2011, Cars 2 follows Lightning McQueen as he enters the World Grand Prix and Mater as he is mistaken for an American secret agent. The story takes the characters beyond Radiator Springs to locations including Tokyo, Porto Corso, and London.
The film introduces British spy Finn McMissile and agent Holley Shiftwell. Their investigation uncovers a conspiracy involving the World Grand Prix, Allinol fuel, and a group of cars seeking revenge for being overlooked by the modern automotive world.
Cars, released in 2006, is primarily a road-and-racing story, while Cars 3, released in 2017, focuses on competition and succession. Cars 2 is therefore distinctive within the trilogy for its espionage structure and its broader international setting.