The Toyota Fortuner is one of those SUVs that boasts a massive fan base. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that it’s one of those SUVs that has no haters. Like many Toyota products, the Fortuner is popular among buyers for its exceptional reliability. Several examples of the Toyota Fortuner, with odometers clocking up lakhs of kilometers, have been featured on our website. In most cases, the owners are content with the product and haven’t found anything compelling enough to prompt an upgrade or a switch. Consequently, what most Fortuner owners do these days is simply opt for aftermarket body kits and conversion kits to give their SUVs a fresh look. Here, we have a video showcasing a Toyota Fortuner Type 2 that has been neatly modified with a Lexus body kit.
The video has been shared by Brotomotiv on their YouTube channel. In this video, the owner of the Toyota Fortuner, who happens to be a politician from Uttar Pradesh, brought his SUV to the workshop. The SUV was equipped with bulletproof glasses and windshields, which posed a challenge during the later stages of the conversion process. The owner dropped off the SUV for a complete paint job and also requested the installation of a Lexus body kit.
The team commenced by working on the conversion job. They removed all the stock panels such as the front grille, headlamps, bumper, and fenders. Subsequently, they took off the rear bumper, tail lamps, and even the boot chrome applique and spoiler. They then dummy-fitted the aftermarket Lexus body kit to ensure a perfect fit. Following this, they addressed minor dents and scratches on the body panels. Handling the doors was particularly challenging due to the presence of bulletproof glass.
The front windshield was actually cracked, and the workshop replaced it with a regular windshield as they couldn’t source bulletproof glass. A thin coat of putty was applied to all the panels to achieve an even shape. Excess putty was removed using a sander. Although the workshop staff initially attempted to paint the doors individually and then reinstall them onto the body, the weight of the doors hindered their progress. Eventually, the team decided to reinstall the doors and then paint the panels.
The entire car was taken to the paint booth for the new paint job. Before spray painting, a coat of primer was applied to the panels, and then the car was brought into the paint booth for the job. The owner had opted for a deeper shade of silver than the original shade offered by Toyota for the Fortuner. This newly selected shade is commonly seen in Lexus cars, which is a premium brand under the Toyota umbrella. After applying the paint, all the panels were reinstalled onto the SUV.
The new Lexus kit, featuring a wide front grille and aftermarket dual-function LED DRLs, was successfully installed. However, the older parts like the headlamps, fog lamps, and tail lamps were retained. The finished product looked clean and undoubtedly posed a challenge for the team. According to the video, the Lexus body kit costs around Rs 1.10 lakh, excluding taxes.