Cars first introduced Mater, the tow truck, to audiences.
Mater appears in the original 2006 film as Radiator Springs’ rusty, friendly, and highly talkative tow truck. He quickly becomes one of Lightning McQueen’s closest friends after McQueen is forced to remain in town. Mater’s humor, local knowledge, and loyalty help McQueen understand the community he initially dismisses.
Larry the Cable Guy provides Mater’s voice. The character returns in Cars 2, where his accidental role in an international spy operation makes him a central protagonist, and in Cars 3, where he remains part of McQueen’s support network.
Cars Toons: Mater’s Tall Tales is a later series of animated shorts centered on Mater. It did not introduce him, because the character had already debuted in Cars. The character’s design was inspired partly by real tow trucks and roadside vehicles seen during the film’s research trips.