Designer and Inspiration:

The Highway Patrol was designed by Larry Wood. It is based on a 1977 Plymouth Fury, a car commonly used by police departments in that era.

Historical Context and Production Years:

This casting first appeared in 1978 in the "Flying Colors" series. Model 2019 with Blackwall (BW) wheels is from that year.

Unique Aspects:

The casting features a plastic light bar on the roof and "Highway Patrol" shield logos on the doors. The initial release was in the classic black and white police car livery.

Similar Castings:

This is one of many police car castings from Hot Wheels. It is similar to the later "Sheriff Patrol" (based on a Dodge Monaco) and is the predecessor to many modern police vehicle models.

Variations and Special Editions:

While the classic black and white is most common, it was also released in blue and white. Some rare versions exist with the light bar in a different color.