Toyota Verossa Comes Stateside with 1JZ-GTE

Verossa

The desire to be unique is often a common thread among auto enthusiasts. Setting trends, becoming pioneers, and doing things that no one even dreamed of doing; many of us make attempts, but few succeed in creating something that truly stands out. Hailing out of Florida, by way of Romania, Alex Nanuti approaches this idea with a unique perspective. And the results are apparent with his stunning Toyota Verossa build.

Photos: Superstreet

Not So Pretty

A part of the Toyota's JZX family, the Verossa is an RWD sedan that has become popular among drifting enthusiasts. It has a similar body and structure as the Lexus IS300 that we did get here in the US, but never Verossa and its fellow JZX brethren never made it across the pond. And perhaps that's a good, thing, considering the fact that the styling of the Verossa is viewed by most as, less than spectacular, shall we say! 

>>Join the conversation about this Turbo Verossa right here in Club Lexus.

Unique Project

The looks of the vehicle were supposed to be inspired by the emotion of Italian cars, namely, Alfa Romeo in this case. But as we all know, what the Toyota designers come up with and what the production vehicles end up looking like is often very, very different. Nonetheless, the 'ugliness' of the Verossa was just what Alex was looking for in the pursuit of creating a unique build. And certainly, one that we're not used to seeing in America. 

>>Join the conversation about this Turbo Verossa right here in Club Lexus.

Getting the Looks Dialed In

To get the modest sedan to look like a jaw-dropper on the street, Alex got things rolling by obtaining a Vertex body kit and Advan wheels. The big 19x9.5-inch Model 5s were not easy to find, and they required a bit of work on the wheel arches to get them to look just right tucked under there. BC Racing coilovers and DMAX arms help the car sit with an aggressive stance. And the finishing touches on the exterior came in the form of the custom candy red paint. 

>>Join the conversation about this Turbo Verossa right here in Club Lexus.

1JZ Under the Hood

Alex's choice of power, the 2.5-liter 1JZ is viewed by many as inferior to the popular 2JZ mill. But for Alex, it was a clear choice, given its reliability, power potential, and deeper sound. The motor remains mostly stock, with a few upgrades in the cooling system and airflow to bring the power output to around 300 horsepower to the rear wheels on pump gas. 

>>Join the conversation about this Turbo Verossa right here in Club Lexus.

Transmission Problems

While Alex chose to keep things simple under the hood, there was one area that caused continuous issues for the project Verossa. The J160 six-speed manual transmission was simply not up to par with the amount of power the car was putting down. Alex had to go through a few of them before deciding to switch over to 1JZ/R154, which has taken care of all of his drivetrain woes. Alex wants to be remembered as the guy who made the Verossa cool, and we'd say he's well on his way to achieving that goal. 

>>Join the conversation about this Turbo Verossa right here in Club Lexus.

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