Jorma Taccone from The Lonely Island purchased this Japanese Daihatsu kei van during his recovery on strong painkillers following a serious ladder mishap.
He later added a full dragon-inspired wrap to the exterior. Why go for it? The crew has long embraced that spontaneous spirit.
Lately two members of the group have been spotted cruising through NYC and sparking smiles everywhere.

All three members of The Lonely Island comedy trio - Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer, and Jorma Taccone - have built individual careers including long sitcom runs and major film direction. Yet devoted fans still enjoy moments when the original three (along with Seth Meyers) share laughs over old SNL tales on their podcast. After Taccone suffered a major injury from a twenty-foot ladder fall his pals quickly joked about his reduced basketball skills but he ended up with the better story thanks to a fun new vehicle.

The ride is a compact Japanese kei van designed for tight city streets and small parking spaces. Based on available images it appears to be a 1996 Daihatsu Atrai from the eighth generation noted for its distinctive front grille and integrated round fog lamps.

While promoting the recent dark comedy Over Your Dead Body which Taccone directed he shared how the quirky purchase happened. Just days after spinal and pelvic surgery and while under strong medication he browsed online for Japanese domestic market vehicles a choice that could easily have gone wrong.

Noah Raidz

Jorma Taccone's kei van received its custom wrap from Raniel Clark.

Yet the result feels perfectly in line with the group's love for turning odd ideas into something memorable. After buying the van Taccone learned that one of his hospital orderlies Raniel Clark also operated a vehicle wrapping service. The finishing touch was a full dragon motif across the tiny van creating an unforgettable sight on the road.

During a recent episode of The Lonely Island and Seth Meyers podcast Samberg and Taccone recalled taking the van out with friends after dinner for a spin through New York.

Noah Raidz

We cruised the West Village on a Saturday evening Samberg recalled in this dragon-covered Japanese van playing dancehall reggae and every block drew laughs points and grins from passersby.

The vehicle lifts spirits for anyone stuck in routine work like a part-time shift at Cold Stone Creamery. Everyone found it so charming Samberg noted that it captures Jorm's vibe perfectly: a bit reckless yet full of joy and impossible to ignore.

Noah Raidz

This little Daihatsu might appear in future group projects spreading lighthearted fun the way these comedians always do. Jorma Taccone may have missed that boat trip in one famous bit but on land he now commands a dragon-themed kei van that stands out wherever it goes.

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Brendan McAleer is a freelance writer and photographer based in North Vancouver B.C. Canada. He grew up working on British cars embraced the peak years of Japanese sport-compact tuning and began covering vehicles and their stories in 2008. His focus remains the connection between people and machines from Walter Cronkite's racing life to Hayao Miyazaki's long affection for the Citroen 2CV. He has taught both daughters to drive a manual and appreciates the endless supply of Hot Wheels they inspire.