Toyota Corolla Wearing Lexus Bodywork Is as Strange as It Sounds

Badge Engineering

For a very long time, some people have been slapping fake badges on their cars in an attempt to fool people into thinking that they're something they're not. This ages-old practice generally applies to lesser models that pretend to be high-performance examples, but given the fact that Lexus models are based on ones from Toyota, it makes sense to also slap the luxury brand's badge or even entire pieces of bodywork on something from the mainstream automaker, too. And that's precisely the case with this strange Corolla that's up for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

Photos: Facebook Marketplace

Right at Home

In this case, the seller decided to integrate the front end of a Lexus CT 200h into the compact economy sedan, and perhaps unsurprisingly, it looks right at home. Previously just a mundane 2005 Corolla with uninspiring styling, we certainly can't blame them for trying to jazz things up a bit - and perhaps even fool some people into thinking that it's nicer than it really is.

Photos: Facebook Marketplace

Face Swap

The front fenders had to be modified to accommodate the new fascia, which includes the familiar Lexus spindle grille, front bumper, hood, and headlights. Interestingly, the owner did retain the Toyota badge up front instead of switching to a Lexus one, so we can give him credit for that, at least. 

Photos: Facebook Marketplace

Other Changes

The whole job is pretty well done, and the owner also added a set of side skirts, some massive wheels, and a rear wing for added effect. Otherwise, they left well enough alone, including the car's 1.8-liter powerplant and automatic transmission. With 116k miles on the clock, it still has plenty of life left in it, too.

Photos: Facebook Marketplace

Interesting Mashup

The asking price for this Lexus/Toyota mashup is $6,800, which isn't a huge amount of money, but we imagine that it will take the right person to come along and scoop this thing up. After all, builds like this have always had their fair share of detractors, but at least we can say that this one isn't really trying to be something it's not.

Photos: Facebook Marketplace

>>Join the conversation about this Corolla with a Lexus face right here at ClubLexus.com.

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