A 1996 Geo Metro with a 5.3-liter GM LS4 V8 installed behind its front seats has resurfaced for sale in Los Angeles, with an asking price of $16,500. The heavily modified hatchback has a new rear bodywork design, but its unusual engineering and previously reported handling concerns deserve attention.
The car appeared on Facebook Marketplace and was covered by The Drive on October 10, 2026. It appears to be the same custom Metro documented by LSX Magazine in 2021 and advertised for $7,000 in Wisconsin in early 2022. Its latest asking price is more than double that earlier figure, although the two listings represent different points in the car’s development and ownership history.
Originally designed as inexpensive, fuel-efficient transportation, the second-generation Geo Metro was based on the Suzuki Cultus. This example abandons that formula entirely, combining a transverse V8, rear-wheel drive, Cadillac suspension components and widened rear fenders in a package with a 93-inch wheelbase.
A 5.3-Liter V8 Replaces the Metro’s Rear Seats
The conversion uses General Motors’ 5.3-liter LS4 V8, an engine developed for transverse installation in front-wheel-drive vehicles such as the Chevrolet Impala SS and Pontiac Grand Prix GXP. Instead of positioning the powertrain ahead of the passenger compartment, the builder installed it behind the Metro’s front seats.
A GM 4T80E four-speed automatic transaxle transfers power to the rear wheels. The arrangement effectively transforms the original front-wheel-drive economy car into a mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive custom build.
The LS4 was rated at approximately 290 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque in certain factory applications. For comparison, the standard 1.0-liter three-cylinder Metro produced approximately 55 horsepower and 58 lb-ft. That represents more than five times the original engine’s horsepower, although the V8’s factory rating should not be confused with a verified output measurement for this particular conversion.
Accommodating the drivetrain required extensive structural modifications. The build incorporates an engine cradle and suspension components from a Cadillac DeVille, while the original Metro’s rear seating area is occupied by the V8 installation.
From a $170 Donor Car to a $16,500 Listing
The Metro’s history is unusually well documented. In a 2021 LSX Magazine feature, original builder Ben Schmidt explained that he found the car in tall grass during the summer of 2020 and purchased it for $200. Discovering $30 in its sun visor effectively reduced his initial acquisition cost to $170.
Schmidt initially considered installing a motorcycle engine, inspired by Hayabusa-powered small-car conversions. However, the cost of a suitable motorcycle powertrain led him toward the LS4 and its accompanying automatic transmission.
The project involved rebuilding damaged front structural components, installing a fuel cell beneath the hood and constructing reinforcements around the rear-mounted drivetrain. The Cadillac suspension was wider than the Metro’s original body, requiring custom rear fenders to cover the wheels.
The same car was apparently advertised in Wisconsin for $7,000 in February 2022. Its current seller, identified in The Drive’s report as Phillip Kopers, reportedly purchased it about four years ago and subsequently commissioned revised rear bodywork.
According to the seller’s account, the latest modifications improve airflow around the engine. The redesigned rear quarters also give the hatchback a different appearance from its original 2021 configuration.
The latest reported asking price is $16,500 or best offer. An earlier September 2026 report by Barn Finds cited $16,000, indicating that the advertised figure has changed. Neither amount establishes a completed sale price, and the listing’s current availability has not been independently confirmed.
The Short Wheelbase Creates Serious Handling Questions
The Metro’s compact dimensions present challenges that engine output alone cannot explain. Although the rear-mounted drivetrain adds substantial weight behind the passenger compartment, the car retains its short 93-inch wheelbase and a front track close to the original configuration.
Earlier reports documented significant handling concerns. In its February 2022 coverage, Motor1 described a previous seller’s warning about excessive oversteer above 65 mph. That historical warning does not establish how the car handles following its subsequent modifications, but it is particularly relevant to prospective buyers.
The original build also underwent road testing, including a reported 150-mile trip in warm weather. More recently, a September 2026 Barn Finds report described the seller’s claim of a successful one-hour drive. These accounts provide some history of the car’s operation, but they are not substitutes for a current mechanical inspection.
What Buyers Should Verify Before Making an Offer
At $16,500, the Metro is being offered as a highly specialized custom vehicle rather than a conventional used hatchback. Its mechanical condition, fabrication quality and documentation matter more than the original model’s reputation for inexpensive transportation.
A prospective buyer should examine the chassis reinforcements, welds, Cadillac suspension mounting points and the integration of the engine and transmission. Cooling-system performance also warrants attention, particularly because the current owner reportedly revised the rear bodywork to improve airflow.
Braking performance, steering behavior, tire condition and the vehicle’s handling at highway speeds should be assessed by someone familiar with heavily modified cars. Previous reports of oversteer make a careful evaluation especially important.
California buyers should also establish whether the engine conversion and other modifications satisfy applicable registration, emissions and road-use requirements. A Marketplace advertisement or a seller’s statement that the car can be driven does not independently establish legal compliance.
The available reporting does not provide a verified current dyno result, an independent inspection or confirmation of a completed sale. For anyone considering this V8-powered Metro, those unanswered questions are as relevant as its unusual drivetrain and $16,500 asking price.
