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RTO Seizes Type 1 Toyota Fortuner Converted Into Legender To Escape ’10 Year Diesel Ban’ [Video]

Type 1 Toyota Fortuner conversion to Legender Seized

Over the last few months, we have been seeing a ton of old Type 1 and Type 2 Toyota Fortuner SUVs being converted into Type 3 and Legender models. Now, although it looks very cool that such an old car can be converted into something that looks brand new, we have to keep in mind that these modifications are not legal. Unfortunately, an owner of one such converted Toyota Fortuner found out the hard way when his SUV was seized by the authorities.

 

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Converted Toyota Fortuner Seized

Recently, a video of a Type 1 Toyota Fortuner converted into Legender getting seized has been shared on Instagram. It comes courtesy of Car Reels India. What happens in this short clip is that a white Toyota Fortuner Legender can be seen getting towed away on the road.

Now, as mentioned, this particular Fortuner Legender is not actually a real Legender. Rather, it is a Type 1 Toyota Fortuner that has been converted into a Legender. This was done with the help of an aftermarket body kit, which comes with a Legender front bumper, LED headlights, grille, and fenders.

RTO Seizes Type 1 Toyota Fortuner Converted Into Legender To Escape ’10 Year Diesel Ban’ [Video]

It also comes with a rear bumper and Legender-style LED taillights. As for the certainty that this car is actually a Type 1 Fortuner, it can be noted that the alloy wheels are the exact same as the Type 1 model. Additionally, it can be observed that the rear window and quarter panel are not as sleek as the ones seen in the real Legender model.

How Did The Authorities Seize This Fortuner?

Although there are no exact reports highlighting how this Fortuner was seized, our guess is that the owner of this car might have been stopped at a regular checkpoint. Upon inspection of the registration details, it might have been discovered that this vehicle is older than 10 years.

RTO Seizes Type 1 Toyota Fortuner Converted Into Legender To Escape ’10 Year Diesel Ban’ [Video]

From the video, it can be noted that this vehicle is from Delhi. Presently, all diesel engine vehicles older than 10 years are banned. Also, all petrol vehicles older than 15 years are banned in the Delhi NCR region. This rule was implemented in order to reduce rising pollution levels.

Old to New Conversion

Currently, this phenomenon of converting old cars like Toyota Fortuners, Innovas, and other popular cars into new versions is on the rise in the country. Many aftermarket shops are helping owners of such old cars in converting them into facelifted models. However, as lucrative as it seems, this is actually illegal.

RTO Seizes Type 1 Toyota Fortuner Converted Into Legender To Escape ’10 Year Diesel Ban’ [Video]

The Indian Motor Vehicle laws state that any aftermarket modification which alters the originality of a vehicle is illegal. In the case of conversions, an old car is made to look like a brand new car, so this is an illegal process.

Now, you may be wondering, as there are numerous cars on the road that have been converted, how are these car owners able to drive around in them so freely? Well, the answer to this is that if a conversion is done in a perfect manner, it becomes very hard for normal people to identify them.

So many owners take advantage of this on the road. However, once these vehicles are stopped at a checkpoint and their registration certificates are verified, everything gets revealed. This then increases the chance of getting the vehicle seized.

Apart from Toyota Fortuners, Innovas, and other popular cars, people have now also started converting old luxury cars into new models. Recently, a video of a Mercedes-Benz GL350 being converted into a Maybach GLS 600 was shared on YouTube.