The Transformers (European toyline)

1989

UK

For the first time the UK received all of this year's new western Transformers the same year they were released in the USA.

The Pretender Monsters & Countdown were Woolworths exclusives in 1989, with Countdown being more generally available the following year

Triggerbots Backstreet Dogfight Override		Triggercons Windsweeper Ruckus Crankcase		Small Pretenders Bludgeon Doubleheader Longtooth Octopunch Pincher Stranglehold		Pretender Vehicles Gunrunner Roadgrabber		UK 1989 Pretenders & Others Catalogue
Pretender Classics Bumblebee Grimlock Jazz Starscream		Mega Pretenders Crossblades Thunderwing Vroom		Ultra Pretenders Roadblock Skyhammer		Pretender Monsters (Woolworths Exclusive) Birdbrain Bristleback Icepick Scowl Slog Wildfly
Micromaster Patrols Air Strike Patrol Battle Patrol Off-Road Patrol Race Car Patrol Rescue Patrol Sports Car Patrol		Micromaster Transports Erector Flattop Overload Roughstuff		Micromaster Battle Stations Hot House with fire station Ironworks with construction station Greasepit with gas station Airwave with airport		Micromaster Bases Groundshaker with ATV Skyhopper with Helicopter		UK 86 Catalogue
Micromaster Decepticon Space Shuttle Countdown with Rocket Base		Micromaster Autobot Rocket Bases (1989 Woolworths Exclusive) Skystalker with Interstellar shuttle

France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Spain

In 1989, all releases received French names, but not Dutch names. Spain started getting toys in Spanish-only packaging (which are not to be confused with the unofficially imported Mexican toys by IGA). The smaller Pretenders, the Classic Pretenders, the Micromaster Stations and the Micromaster Transports were once again available in Germany in English packaging.

Confirmed releases include:

Alternate-language names are not given here to save space. UK: English packaging, F/NL: French/Dutch packaging, S: Spanish packaging

Small Pretenders Bludgeon (UK, F/NL) Doubleheader (UK, F/NL) Longtooth (UK, F/NL) Octopunch (UK, F/NL) Pincher (UK, F/NL) Stranglehold (UK, F/NL)		Micromaster Patrols Air Strike Patrol (F/NL) Battle Patrol (UK, F/NL) Off-Road Patrol (F/NL) Race Car Patrol (UK, F/NL) Rescue Patrol (UK, F/NL) Sports Car Patrol (F/NL)		Micromaster Transports Erector (UK, F/NL, S) Flattop (UK, F/NL, S) Overload (UK, F/NL, S) Roughstuff (UK, F/NL, S)		Micromaster Bases Groundshaker (F/NL, S) Skyhopper (F/NL)
Micromaster Battle Stations Greasepit (F/NL)

Italy

Known Italian toys from 1989 are:

Pretender Monsters Artiglio (Slog) Avvoltoio (Birdbrain) Pipistrello (Icepick) Raptor (Scowl) Spettro (Bristleback) Vampiro (Wildfly)		Small Pretenders Tenax (Pincher) Ferox (Longtooth) Biclonius (Doubleheader) Demon (Stranglehold) Medusa (Octopunch) Teskior (Bludgeon)		Microtransformers Pattuglias (Micromaster Patrols) Expeditors (Off Road Patrol) Interceptors (Air Strike Patrol) Pattuglia Guastatori (Sports Car Patrol) Pattuglia Mezzi d'Assalto (Battle Patrol) Pattuglia Soccorso (Rescue Patrol) Sprintforce (Race Car Patrol)		Microtransformers Deluxes (Micromaster Transports) Tornado (Roughstuff) Tractor (Erector)
Microtrasformer[sic] Stations (Micromaster Stations) Argon (Hot House) Assalt (Greasepit) Lancer (Airwave) Radar (Ironworks)		Microtransformer Bases (Micromaster Bases) Rotor (Skyhopper) Titano (Groundshaker)		Set Commandos (Classic Legends) Saetta / Folgore / Drago / Tornado (Bumblebee, Jazz, Grimlock & Starscream (respectively) set)

Unofficial Mexican imports

In addition to the regular toys released by Hasbro and GiG, Europe was also hit by a flood of Transformers toys imported from Mexico. While these toys had been officially produced by IGA with the intention to release them on the Mexican market, a large unsold stock remained that was eventually exported to Europe without Hasbro's involvement. The toys were available in the UK, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria, Romania, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. This created a strange situation where unofficially imported (but officially produced) toys competed with official European releases. These toys are considered official for Mexico but unofficial for Europe.