EXCLUSIVE: The first three production LFAs arrive in the USA. (PART 1)

It’s been 10 years in the making, but January 18, 2011 was a momentous day for Lexus. This was the day that the first three (of 500) production LFAs arrived on United States soil. It was just a few weeks ago in Japan that Lexus celebrated a milestone with the first production LFA to roll off the assembly line. It was only a matter of time, but now the USA has its first LFA units ready to be delivered to their anxious owners.

The De-vanning of the LFA

Because the LFA is a special car, it requires special delivery. Instead of loading this special Lexus on a regular vehicle ship, all LFAs bound for the USA will arrive in its own shipping container. Once the container arrives at the port and goes through U.S. Customs, Lexus delivers the container to their special facility for the LFA to be de-vanned (unboxed). Once at their facility, special trained technicians will pull the the LFA out of the container. The LFA is transported on a specially-built pallet inside the container. Once the container is backed into the dock, the car is pulled out. This is how they do it:

The technicians unbolt the pallet from the container floor and remove the wooden chocks that secure it.

Once the pallet is unsecured, a forklift is used to pull the unit out.

The LFA is fully removed from container.

The wheel guides are unbolted and the wheel straps are removed.

Once the car is free, the technician takes a soft white cloth and drapes it over the quarter panel and driver’s side entry to protect the LFA’s lustrous paint finish.

The hatch is opened and the battery is connected.

The technicians do a final inspection check and they start the car up for the first time.

The LFA is carefully backed off the special built pallet.

Now the LFA is carefully driven to the awaiting transporter. 

The LFA is loaded up into the truck.

The LFA is driven in.

And now its secured.

The LFA is ready to be delivered.

Once the LFA arrives at its final destination, the selected Lexus dealership will perform the final pre-delivery inspection and deliver the LFA to its new owner.

Because the LFA is a global car, each LFA will be delivered in the order it was sold. Surpisingly, the first three LFAs that have arrived are destined for outside of California!

What we know:

• #001 – Red (3P0) Exterior, Black (?) Interior  – Japan
• #003 – Metallic Silver (1F2) Exterior, Red Interior – USA
• #006 – Whitest White (079), Red Interior – USA
• #026  – Black (212), Black Interior – USA

LFA in the USA Fun Facts:

• Each LFAs are tested and driven by a Motomatchi Quality Control Engineer to ensure the highest quality compliance. A certificate is placed in each car with the engineer’s signature.
• Each LFA ships in its own clean container with a pink painted metal pallet designed specifically to secure the car during transport.
• Each LFA pallet is sent back to Japan after use to transport the next shipment of cars. 5 can be stacked at one time.
• The LFA is not covered in exterior plastic during transport. This is to ensure proper paint curing from the time it leaves the Motomachi Plant to its final destination.
• It takes about 7-10 days (weather permitting) for an LFA to ship from the port in Japan to the Port of Long Beach.
• All US bound LFAs will only go through Toyota’s facilities at the Port of Long Beach for de-vanning of the shipping container.
• Each LFA will be delivered by a special Lexus transporter to the new owner’s preferred Lexus dealer.
• This is the only Lexus or Toyota product that is delivered in this manner.
• LFA10 is the chassis code for the Lexus LFA. LFA10L is the designation for left hand drive models.
• Mobil 1 5w50 is the official oil for the Lexus LFA.

I was fortunate to take plenty of photos and video of the Silver, Whitest White and Black LFAs that have recently arrived. More photos and video to come in the next few days. Stay tuned. 🙂

Club Lexus: LFA Discussion

Special thanks to Lexus USA and Toyota Logistics Services for inviting us to this remarkable and historic event!