Cars 2 is a 2011 American animated spy comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It serves as the sequel to the 2006 film Cars and is the twelfth animated feature from Pixar. Directed by John Lasseter and co-directed by Brad Lewis, the film features returning voice actors including Owen Wilson as Lightning McQueen, Larry the Cable Guy as Mater, and Bonnie Hunt as Sally Carrera, along with newcomers such as Michael Caine, Emily Mortimer, and John Turturro.
The story follows Lightning McQueen as he competes in the World Grand Prix, a three-race event held in Japan, Italy, and England, organized by Sir Miles Axlerod. While McQueen focuses on racing, his friend Mater inadvertently becomes embroiled in an international espionage plot after being mistaken for an American spy by British agent Finn McMissile. As Mater teams up with Finn and junior agent Holley Shiftwell, they uncover a scheme to sabotage the World Grand Prix orchestrated by Professor Zündapp and a group of lemon cars.
The film culminates in a showdown in London where Mater deduces that Axlerod is behind the plot, intending to promote his alternative fuel while discrediting oil. After thwarting the villains' plans, Mater is knighted by the Queen of the United Kingdom. Although invited to join Finn and Holley on future missions, he chooses to remain in Radiator Springs.
Despite receiving mixed reviews from critics, Cars 2 was a box office success, grossing over $559 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing film of the Cars trilogy. The film was noted for its vibrant animation and action-packed sequences but was critiqued for its departure from the original's emotional depth. It was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 69th Golden Globe Awards but lost to The Adventures of Tintin. A sequel titled Cars 3 was released on June 16, 2017.