One of the most common myths we hear at The Retrofit Source is that BRZ headlights and FR-S headlights are two different parts, so a Scion owner has to hunt for a “Scion version” of every upgrade. That isn’t how it works with the Morimoto XB. The same headlight fits any 86, BRZ and FR-S, and the only catch we have seen involves one specific trim and its wiring. To show what these lights look like on a real, heavily modified car, we invited Karissa and her widebody, supercharged 2013 Scion FR-S Series.10 Edition into our shop. Her car runs Morimoto XB headlights and Morimoto XB fog lights, both taken a step further with a custom RGB retrofit, and it proves that the right BRZ headlights can carry a show car and still make sense on the daily drive.
Real-World Testing Notes on a Widebody FR-S
Karissa drove her FR-S from Indianapolis down to us after a recent rally run, so this was not a trailer queen rolled out for photos. The car had just covered serious highway miles. That matters, because lighting on a build like this has to work at night on the interstate, not only under show lights.
Morimoto XB Headlights and XB Fog Lights Up Front
The front end pairs Morimoto XB headlights with Morimoto XB fog lights. Head-on, the combination looks tight and modern, and it ties the aggressive widebody nose together far better than the factory lamps ever could. If you want the same base setup for your own car, we point owners to the Morimoto XB LED headlights for the BRZ, FR-S and 86, which is the Gen II XB with a dual Bi-LED projector setup, two projectors per side, for a bright, wide low beam and a strong high beam.
One fitment point came straight from Karissa, and we confirmed it on our end: these headlights fit any 86, BRZ and FR-S. That cross-platform fit is a big reason so many owners on this chassis choose the XB.
The RGB Retrofit by Intimidation Lighting
Here is where her car departs from a standard install. Both the headlights and the fog lights were retrofitted by her sponsor, Intimidation Lighting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The retrofit adds RGB, so she can run different colors, solid colors, flashing and patterns. In her words, the retrofit makes the lights stand out a little more than the average everyday Morimoto fog lights and headlights.
We want to be clear on this point. The RGB functions are a custom retrofit on Karissa’s car. They are not part of the standard XB headlight or XB fog light setup you receive in the box.
One App for Every Light on the Car
Control is surprisingly simple. All of the lights on the car are integrated into the Morimoto app, and she can control them individually or all together at the same time. That means the headlights, fogs, underglow and wheel well lights can sync for a show, or she can adjust a single zone without touching the rest.
Underglow, Wheel Well Lights and Tail Lights
Moving down the side, the car runs Profile Performance underglow along with a Profile Performance wheel well kit. The wheel well lighting is the detail people notice at night, glowing behind the spokes of her Work T7R wheels in the custom Asterism Black color, which took about three months to arrive from Japan as a custom order.
Out back, she runs Valenti tail lights, which she calls the typical basic tail light mod because nothing else quite matches their clean look. She has a second set being retrofitted and painted blue to set the car apart even further.
The Build Behind the Lights
Lighting is only part of the story. This FR-S is a complete build, and the rest of it explains why the front end needed lights with real presence.
Supercharged Engine Bay
Under the hood sits a Jackson Racing C30 supercharger kit, backed by DW 1050 injectors, a DW300 fuel pump, a flex fuel kit and an ECUTEK tune done by her shop in Minneapolis. There is a Cusco strut bar, JDM engine bay pieces and an APR cooling plate. The stock strut bars, the supercharger piping and the Cusco bar are all powder coated in a teal shade, and a carbon fiber hood finishes the front.
Widebody, Wing and Exhaust
The body wears a Rallybacker V2 16 piece widebody kit, which covers everything from the rear piece to the side skirts to the front piece. She added the Rallybacker rear diffuser when she bought the kit. A Battle Aero 70 inch carbon fiber chassis mount wing dominates the rear, paired with a carbon fiber duckbill that, as far as she knows, is the only one that works with that wing. Tomei unequal length headers, a front pipe, an over pipe and a catback exhaust round out the drivetrain side.
Interior and Starlight Headliner
Inside, Karissa’s favorite mod is her fully custom Status Racing seats: a Turismo seat for the driver with head restraints and a GXP on the passenger side, with white leather on the sides, custom stitching, monogramming and diamond stitching. She called them super comfortable after the long drive down. A Vertex steering wheel on an NRG quick release, ProSport gauges in a Glowshift A-pillar pod, an Android tablet stereo and Alcantara shift boot, e-brake boot and cluster hood complete the cabin.
Then there is the DIY starlight headliner. It does full RGB color changing and can twinkle, which ties the interior lighting into the theme running across the whole car.
How to Choose BRZ Headlights and Fog Lights for Your Build
Karissa’s car is an extreme example. Most owners will not retrofit RGB into their lights, and that is fine. The decision starts with a simpler question: what do you want your front end to do?
Start With the Headlight
If you drive at night, the headlight is the upgrade that pays off every single trip. The Gen II XB uses two Bi-LED projectors per light for a big jump in output over stock, and the Morimoto XB headlights are DOT compliant with FMVSS108 for on-road use in the USA. That compliance is a major reason we recommend them for daily drivers, not only show builds. Karissa summed it up herself: the headlights are awesome even for driving.
Short version? Buy the headlight for the road.
Then Match the Fog Lights
Fog lights finish the look and add useful near-field light. Karissa runs XB fogs, and if you want a similar style on a Scion, I would start with the XB Evo LED fog lights for the FR-S, which drop into the factory fog location on 2013 to 2016 FR-S models. The XB Evo+ version is offered in white or yellow and is built to SAE J583 F3 and ECE R19 fog standards with a wide 90 degree horizontal spread, so the beam stays low and broad where a fog light belongs.
Decide How Much You Want to Customize
In practice, most of our customers stop at a clean headlight and fog combo. That said, if you are building for car shows the way Karissa does, a professional retrofit shop can take the lights further. Just treat that as a separate custom project, because those functions are not included with the standard lights.
Mistakes to Avoid
We see the same handful of errors on this chassis again and again. Most of them are easy to dodge.
Assuming Every 2013 FR-S Wires the Same
This is the big one. Karissa’s car is a 2013 Series.10 Edition FR-S, and on her model the headlights have to be wired up like a BRZ, because the wiring is a little different. If you own a Series.10 and wire it like a typical FR-S, expect trouble. Confirm your exact trim before you start.
Buying Fog Pods That Look Bolted On
Plenty of generic LED fog pods sit awkwardly in the FR-S bumper. If you want a compact pod that looks factory, I like recommending the 4Banger LED fog light upgrade, which uses brackets made specifically for the FR-S fog location. The 4Banger comes in an NCS Wide Beam and an HXB Wide Beam, and the small footprint means it fits properly instead of sticking out of the bumper.
Expecting Retrofit Features From a Stock Light
Colors, flashing and patterns on Karissa’s car come from her custom retrofit. Don’t buy a standard headlight expecting those functions. Even so, the stock XB is a major step up on its own, and many owners never feel the need to go further.
Ignoring Road Use
Show lighting is fun. The headlights still need to light the road. Choosing a DOT compliant headlight keeps your car usable after the show ends and the long drive home begins.
Step-by-Step Install Planning
Every car is different, and a heavily modified build like this one adds variables. Here is how we suggest approaching the job so it goes smoothly the first time.
Step 1: Confirm Your Exact Model and Trim
Check whether your car is an 86, BRZ or FR-S and note the year and edition. The XB headlights fit all three, but a 2013 Series.10 Edition FR-S needs to be wired like a BRZ. Knowing this up front prevents most headaches.
Step 2: Read Up Before You Unbox
From there, review common questions about fitment, wiring and use. Our Morimoto headlights FAQ is the page I send owners to before they pick up a single tool, since it answers a lot of what people ask us on the phone.
Step 3: Plan the Wiring for Your Trim
If you have a Series.10 FR-S, follow the BRZ wiring approach. For every other model, follow the standard path for your vehicle. Take your time here, because wiring is where installs go wrong.
Step 4: Test Every Function Before Final Assembly
Then power everything up and check low beam, high beam and all other functions before you close up the front end. Catching an issue now saves you from taking it all apart again.
Step 5: Set Up Control for Any Accent Lighting
If you run additional accent lighting the way Karissa does, set it up in the app once the install is done. On her car, every light is integrated into the Morimoto app and can be controlled individually or all together.
Bottom line: the XB is a headlight that works on a supercharged widebody show car and on a daily driver, and it fits any 86, BRZ and FR-S. If you want help picking the right headlight and fog combo for your build, reach out to us at theretrofitsource.com and we will walk you through it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Morimoto XB headlights fit the BRZ and 86 as well as the Scion FR-S?
Yes. The owner confirms these headlights fit any 86, BRZ and FR-S.
Is there a wiring difference on a 2013 Scion FR-S Series.10?
Yes. On the Series.10 Edition 2013 FR-S in this build, the headlights have to be wired up like a BRZ, because the wiring is a little different.
Can the headlights and fog lights be customized with RGB?
On this build they were retrofitted by Intimidation Lighting in Minneapolis, Minnesota. That gives RGB with different colors, solid colors, flashing and patterns. This is a custom retrofit on the owner’s car, not the standard setup.
How are the lights controlled on this build?
The lights are integrated into the Morimoto app. They can be controlled individually or all together at the same time.
Are XB headlights good for daily driving or just for shows?
The owner says the headlights are awesome even for driving, and they also suit a show car. The Morimoto XB headlights are DOT compliant with FMVSS108 for on-road use in the USA.
Meet the Experts Behind The Retrofit Source
Tyler Jordan – Technical Writer
Tyler works directly with the TRS product R&D team, bringing over a decade of automotive aftermarket lighting experience to every article. An avid enthusiast with hundreds of personal installations under his belt, his content is built on hands-on knowledge from the workbench, not spec sheets.
Caleb Morgan – Marketing Manager
Caleb brings over a decade of automotive lighting industry experience and works with TRS customers daily on the front lines. With hundreds of personal lighting installations and a direct feedback loop from real buyers, his content addresses the questions and problems that actually matter.
