Yes – Mater‘s Spy Girlfriend Holley is Still His Main Squeeze in Cars 3!

Cars fans, rejoice! Our favorite rusty tow truck with a heart of gold still has his quirky British sweetheart by his side through all his new adventures with Lightning McQueen in Cars 3. But why doesn‘t Holley Shiftwell actually appear on-screen this time around? Let‘s break down everything we know about one of Pixar‘s most endearing intercontinental romances.

Mater and Holley: From Globetrotting Espionage to Small Town Bliss

According to Pixar creative execs, Mater never forgot about Holley after their thrilling spy capers together in Cars 2. Once he returned home to Radiator Springs, they kept the sparks flying long-distance. By Cars 3, they‘ve settled into a comfortable routine balanced between Mater‘s local towing business and Holley‘s globe-trotting missions for CHROME.

As we see Mater distract baddie Sterling at the end of Cars 3, he slyly references having "wedding flaps" installed. This suggests he may have popped the question to Holley by this point! Their relationship timeline looks like:

2011 – Meet cute as spies in Cars 2

2012-2016 – Long distance romance while based in different countries

2017 (Cars 3 era) – Possible engagement as things get more serious

According to director Brian Fee, Mater‘s maturity grew after his adventures with Holley opened his eyes to the wider world. He notes:

"Mater‘s gained experience from everything that happened in the prior film. He‘s learned to channel himself: when to yuk it up and when to dig in and get the job done."

It seems Holley has taught our small-town buddy a thing or two! Let‘s look at why she doesn‘t feature on-screen this time around.

So Where‘s Holley in Cars 3?

Her absence doesn‘t mean there‘s trouble in paradise – long distance relationships need flexibility! As a top-ranking British agent, Holley has duties around the world. The relaxed Radiator Springs life likely doesn‘t suit her go-getter personality long-term.

Some theories on why she doesn‘t feature:

• On a classified mission: No time for distractions during vital intelligence operations!
• Letting Mater share his movie: Didn‘t want to steal the tow truck‘s spotlight in his emotional storyline.
• Visiting Mater off-screen: Being a spy means avoiding cameras and public visibility!

Director Brian Fee actually confirmed her absence was because Cars 3 shifts back to focusing on Lightning and Mater‘s friendship. No drama – just different priorities this time around!

Lightning‘s crash trauma would also consume more of loyal Mater‘s mental bandwidth. But that doesn‘t mean our favorite couple has lost their signature banter…

This interaction at the Cars 3 premiere suggests things are still playful as ever between the two:

Mater: "I‘m taken by a lovely car named Holley Shiftwell. She‘s not in the movie, but she‘s still mine!"

Cruz Ramirez: "Aww, that‘s so sweet!"

So fear not, Mater x Holley fans – Pixar likely has big plans for their relationship even if we didn‘t see her this time around!

Lightning and Sally: Weathering the Storm Together

Meanwhile, McQueen and his lawyer girlfriend Sally Carrera are still going strong despite Lightning‘s racing crisis after his big crash. According to Pixar designer Jay Ward:

“It was important for us to show McQueen and Sally’s relationship has progressed. She’s the voice of reason when Lightning doubts himself and wants him to remember Radiator Springs where he belongs.”

Cars 3 shows us plenty of Sally supporting McQueen trackside and reminding him of what matters beyond racing seasons and sponsors. Their steadfast connection weathers Lightning‘s stormy crisis of confidence.

Some key moments for Lightning x Sally in Cars 3:

• Sally rushes to comfort an injured Lightning after his scary crash
• Sally helps inspire Lightning to keep fighting at his lowest moment
• Sally cheers McQueen on for the Florida 500 finale race
• In end credits, the couple relaxes happily together back in Radiator Springs

After over a decade side-by-side, Lightning and Sally show no signs of losing momentum. It‘s clear Sally will remain Lightning‘s #1 fan through the next phase of his racing career.

What Does The Future Hold for Cars‘ Central Couples?

The Cars franchise has endless potential for exploring more romance and relationships. Pixar producer Kevin Reher promises any sequels will stay focused on Lightning‘s journey following Cars 3‘s introspective tone.

But that still leaves room for Mater‘s misadventures with Holley Shiftwell!

Here‘s what we might see in possible future Cars plots:

• Mater and Holley finally get married in Cars 4, with Lightning as best man!
• Holley takes a break from spy work to join Mater in Radiator Springs full-time
• Lightning and Sally consider starting a family together as Lightning heads into racing retirement
• We meet even more of Mater‘s cousins and extended family in Radiator Springs
• Mater and Holley get roped into another international spy caper to save the day!

I‘d love to see Pixar explore Mater seeking Holly‘s hand in marriage officially in a future installment! Director Brian Fee did hint to BBC News that we can expect more Tow Mater in the years ahead:

“Mater is the key ingredient – he’s essential, the reliable best friend.”

And that best friend comes as a package deal with secret agent sweetheart Holley! Pixar never does us wrong when it comes to tugging those heartstrings. So I predict fans can expect even more touching romance in Cars‘ future.

At the end of the day, the enduring affection between both central couples shows us that true love stories in Cars stand the test of time, crashes and espionage escapades alike!

What do you think, Pixar fans? Are Mater and Holley due for wedding bells in Cars 4? And does McQueen seem ready to ride off into the sunset for good once he hangs up his racing tires? Share your relationship theories!