Cars 2 was the Pixar Cars sequel that introduced an international spy adventure.
Released in 2011, Cars 2 follows Lightning McQueen as he enters the World Grand Prix, a race held in locations including Tokyo, Porto Corsa, and London. Mater is drawn into a secret investigation after British agents mistake him for an American spy.
The film broadens the series beyond Radiator Springs and traditional stock-car racing. Its plot includes espionage, hidden technology, alternative fuel, and a conspiracy involving the event’s competitors. Finn McMissile and Holley Shiftwell serve as the principal spy characters, while Mater’s accidental involvement drives much of the comedy.
Cars 3 later returned to a more grounded racing story focused on McQueen’s career and Jackson Storm. Cars on the Road is a separate animated series rather than a feature-film sequel. Cars 2 is therefore the installment most strongly associated with the franchise’s spy-film format.