Mattel introduced Park ’n Plates: small plastic see-through boxes with colored see-through lids displaying the vehicle’s name. These were issued with their own line and were never in a single blisterpack. This year also saw the introduction of three models destined to become popular with even non-Hot Wheels collectors: the ’32 Ford Delivery (street rod collectors), Custom Corvette (Corvette collectors), and Ferrari F40 (Ferrari/race-car collectors). Mattel also repeated the strategy used in 1988 with the Talbot Lago and Alien (they issued a short-run body color, then switched to a more readily available color). GT Racer was initially issued in hard-to-find light blue metalflake, and School Bus first came with a two-line tampo on its sides. T-Bucket also had a short-run color and Custom Corvette was first issued with a blue windshield, but these two variations aren’t hard to find. There was also an experimental blister card released with about 12 models with some variations with some being hard to find. Finally, there are different tampo shades, in some cars – e.i. blue varies from dull to bright, pink varies from dull to bright, etc.
’32 Ford Delivery – 62mm – 1989 – LIST
Ambulance – 70mm – 1989 – LIST
Big Rig – 81mm – 1989 – LIST
Chevy Stocker – 76mm – 1989 – LIST
Custom Corvette – 74mm – LIST
Ferrari F40 – 72mm – 1989 – LIST
GT Racer – 79mm – 1989 – LIST
Peugeot 205 Rallye – 74mm – 1989 – LIST
Pontiac Banshee – 70mm – 1989 – LIST
School Bus – 80mm – 1989 – LIST
Street Roader – 68mm – 1989 – LIST
T-Bucket – 65mm – 1989 – LIST
VW Bug – 60mm – 1989 – LIST