Johnny Lieberman’s GR Corolla: Built to Outrun Porsches, Backed by Fi EXHAUST
When Johnny Lieberman — one of automotive journalism’s sharpest voices — builds a personal project, it’s worth paying attention. This time, it’s a GR Corolla that doesn’t just bark. It bites.
In a recent video feature on O-Shift, Johnny takes us deep into the canyons of Southern California, carving through Angelus Crest in a machine that’s equal parts rally weapon and personal statement. And right at the heart of this build? Our Fi EXHAUST system.
Johnny could drive anything. He has driven everything — from McLarens and Lambos to vintage beaters with soul. But when it came to building a car that he actually owns, tunes, and drives hard, he chose a turbocharged, manual-only, all-wheel-drive GR Corolla — and chose us to handle the soundtrack.
“I just hated the stock tailpipe,” he says. “It looked like a cat’s butt.”
With our custom quad-exit catback and downpipe setup, problem solved — and then some.
Installed by our friends at Aero Werkz, the system doesn’t just look aggressive — it completes the car’s new identity. It’s loud, unapologetic, and engineered for the very roads Johnny haunts. His build includes an intake, upgraded intercooler, and ECU reflashes (24 of them and counting).
And you should hear how Fi EXHAUST sounds. It that turns every canyon run into a performance — echoing off cliffs, howling into each apex, and demanding the kind of presence even a 911 can’t ignore.
This wasn’t a press car stunt. This is his car. His setup. His weekend ritual.
“I keep thinking about third to fourth, heading past Angel’s Forest into the twisty stuff… that’s what this car is made for.”
“I caught a GT3 in the canyons. That surprised me. A lot.”
Want to hear it scream for yourself?
Check out the full feature on O-Shift and experience the build that proves a Corolla can haunt sports cars. And if you're ready to give your GR Corolla (or anything else) the voice it deserves — we’re here for it.
[Explore Fi EXHAUST for GR Corolla]
