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A 1996 Geo Metro fitted with a rear-mounted Chevrolet LS4 V8 and a 4T80E transaxle is listed on Facebook Marketplace in Los Angeles for $16,500 or best offer. The car appears to be the same build featured by LSX Magazine in 2021, but its current condition, performance and sale status have not been independently verified.
A 1996 Geo Metro with a rear-mounted Chevrolet LS4 V8 is listed for sale on Facebook Marketplace in Los Angeles for $16,500, or best offer. The unusual conversion puts the engine where the rear seats would normally be and drives the rear wheels; the car appears to be the same build featured by LSX Magazine in 2021, according to The Drive.
The Marketplace listing, attributed to seller Phillip Kopers, describes a Metro powered by an LS4 paired with a 4T80E transaxle. The Drive reports that the seller said they bought the car four years earlier and had its rear bodywork redone to improve airflow to the engine. That work would account for differences between the car’s current rear fenders and those shown in the magazine feature.
The LS4 was designed for transverse, front-wheel-drive applications, including several General Motors cars. In this Metro, the engine and transaxle are installed at the rear and have been turned around to drive the back wheels. The earlier LSX Magazine account says the build also uses an engine cradle and suspension from a Cadillac DeVille. The Drive reports that the engine produced 290 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque when new; that is a factory-era figure, not a verified measurement of the car’s present output.
The original second-generation Metro’s 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine was rated at 55 horsepower and 58 pound-feet of torque, according to The Drive. The comparison illustrates the scale of the conversion, but does not establish how the modified car performs today. The listing price and seller’s description are not independent appraisals or mechanical inspections.
A Radical Change to a Budget Hatchback
The car turns a model built around small size and low-cost transportation into a rear-drive V8 project. For buyers interested in engine swaps, it offers a finished-looking example of a complex conversion rather than a standard Metro. The asking price is $16,500, but the listing alone does not show whether that figure reflects the car’s condition, build quality or the cost of comparable projects.
The layout also raises practical questions beyond engine output. The Drive cites the 2021 feature’s description of the short, 93-inch wheelbase, stock front track and lack of weight at the front as factors that can make the car a handful. That is a reported driving characterization, not a current road test. Prospective buyers would need to establish how the car handles, whether it is road-legal in its intended location, and what work it needs before use.
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From $200 Donor to LS4 Build
The car’s history was documented in an LSX Magazine feature in 2021, which The Drive says appears to show the same Metro. In that account, the builder said the donor car cost $200 and that $30 found in its sun visor brought the net purchase cost to $170. That figure concerned the donor purchase, not the total cost of the completed build; labor, parts and later work are separate.
The magazine account said a planned motorcycle engine was too expensive, leading to the LS4 and 4T80E combination. The LS4 is a V8 developed for transverse installation, a packaging feature that made it a candidate for the unusual layout. The Metro itself belongs to a model line sold in the United States from 1989 through 2000 across two generations. The Drive describes it as a rebadged Suzuki Cultus and notes that some versions were known for high fuel economy under period testing standards.
“The seller said they bought the Metro four years ago and had the rear bodywork redone to improve airflow to the engine.”
— The Facebook Marketplace seller, as quoted by The Drive
Listing and Condition Still Unverified
The source report does not establish whether the Marketplace listing is still active, whether the car has sold, or whether the seller will accept less than the $16,500 asking price. The car’s mileage, present mechanical condition, maintenance history and documentation are not given in the supplied material. It is also unclear whether the stated four-year ownership period is measured from the original listing date or another reference point.
The LS4’s cited factory-era output does not confirm current horsepower, and the earlier magazine feature does not substitute for a present inspection. The available material does not detail the car’s registration status, emissions compliance, insurance arrangements or eligibility for road use. Those points would depend on the vehicle and applicable local rules.
Verify the Car Before Purchase
Anyone considering the Metro would need to contact the seller to confirm availability, price and ownership records, then arrange an in-person inspection. Given the custom engine, transaxle, rear suspension and bodywork, a qualified mechanic familiar with modified vehicles could check the installation, driveline, brakes, cooling system and structural work. Buyers should also verify registration and road-use requirements with the relevant authorities before agreeing to a purchase.
Until those checks or a completed sale are reported, the confirmed development is limited to a vehicle being advertised at the stated price. The supplied source gives no later update on the listing or the car’s condition.
Key Questions
What is being sold?
A 1996 Geo Metro modified with a rear-mounted Chevrolet LS4 V8 and a 4T80E transaxle, according to the Marketplace listing described by The Drive.
How much is the seller asking?
The reported asking price is $16,500 or best offer. The source does not confirm whether the car has sold or remains available.
How powerful is the car?
The Drive cites factory-era LS4 figures of 290 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. Those numbers are not a current measurement of this specific car.
Is the Metro road-legal?
The supplied report does not give its registration, emissions or road-use status. A buyer would need to check the car’s documents and the rules that apply where it would be driven.
Is this the Metro featured in 2021?
The Drive says the listing appears to show the same car featured by LSX Magazine in 2021. The seller’s reported ownership timeline and later rear-bodywork changes are consistent with that account, but the source does not describe an independent identity check.
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