Hot Wheels Custom Cougar (1968)

The Custom Cougar, based on the 1967 Mercury Cougar coupe, is one of the easier Sweet Sixteen cars to place by factory at a glance. Only Hong Kong cars have the simulated black vinyl roof, and only US cars have black trim paint on the grille. The usual tells apply too: clear glass and a dash-molded steering wheel on US cars, blue glass on Hong Kong ones. Early US bases have a smaller gas tank. For a harder hunt, look for the painted center grille tooth, an effort Mattel abandoned quickly, and for Hong Kong black-roof cars in red, aqua, green or purple, all rated very rare. US brown is the toughest standard color.