Daily Drive Notes: Two-Door G-Wagen Madness, BMW M2 xDrive Leak, Rivian’s New “RAD” Skunkworks, C8-X Dreams, and a MotoGP Thriller

I started the morning in a mood: coffee too strong, weather too gray, inbox full of teasers. And then—bang—one of those days where the car world tosses both pure silliness and serious substance into the same blender. A coupe-ified G-Wagen that exists mostly to poke your accountant in the eye. A leaked hint that BMW’s baby M might finally get all-wheel drive. Rivian spinning up its own go-fast/off-grid brain trust. A Corvette concept that pushes the C8 toward hypercar theater. And MotoGP served a qualifying session spiked with last-lap drama. Let’s unpack it.

Mansory’s Two-Door G-Wagen: Because Subtlety Is Overrated

Carscoops surfaced a fresh look at Mansory’s Gronos Coupe EVO C—essentially a Mercedes-AMG G-Class that’s been sawn into a two-door mega-toy and reassembled with enough carbon fiber to make a Daytona grid blush. Production? Reportedly eight. Which tracks: I’ve met roughly eight people in my life who would look at a G63 and say, “You know what this needs? Fewer doors.”

I’ve spent time in the current G63 on rough roads where its ladder-frame rhythm beat through the seats like a steel drum. It’s hilariously capable, charmingly anachronistic, and absolutely not a coupe. Converting it means lengthened doors, reworked side glass, and a reinforced shell. The result looks like a concept car that escaped its motor show plinth and headed straight for Gstaad.

• What it is: A two-door, wide-bodied, carbon-laced G-Class conversion with bespoke coachwork.
• How many: Single digits, reportedly eight.
• Why it exists: Statement-making, garage trophy, Alps-meet-Doha curb appeal.
• The catch: Rear-seat access and cargo usability drop, and the price jumps to “call for arrhythmia.”

Would I daily it? No. Would I valet it outside a ski lodge just to watch necks snap like dry twigs? Absolutely. Even parked, it’s performance art.

BMW Leak Hints at M2 xDrive and an i3 Sedan Lineup

Also via Carscoops, a slip from BMW’s side suggests two big storylines: a first-ever M2 xDrive and a broadened i3 sedan lineup. The M2 news matters because, as anyone who’s driven the current rear-drive M2 in a cold rain will confirm, all 400-plus horses can have their mischievous days. I love that car’s old-school attitude, but an all-wheel-drive option could turn it into a year-round assassin without numbing the playfulness—assuming BMW tunes it with the rear bias we know from bigger M cars.

Questions I’m already pestering Munich about:

• Will xDrive pair with a manual, or be auto-only? (Common sense says automatic first.)
• How much weight does it add, and does the front axle get the smart, variable trickery we’ve seen elsewhere in the M stable?
• Will power bump a tick to offset AWD mass?

The i3 sedan bit is equally intriguing. We’ve seen an “i3” sedan in China based on the long-wheelbase 3 Series. If BMW’s broadening that play, it signals a mainstream, 3er-shaped EV push that could finally give Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2 shoppers a proper German sport-sedan feel with silent running. Picture familiar 3 Series ergonomics, a calmer commute, and the ability to glide through LA traffic without the stoplight shimmy.

Quick take: small-car performance with snow boots

Rivian’s “RAD” Department: The Adventure-Tuned Future

Carscoops also reports Rivian has spun up RAD—the Rivian Adventure Department. Think of it as the in-house shop where hardware, software, and mission meet. I’ve battered an R1T on volcanic gravel and washed it in red clay; the platform is stout, the chassis brains are better, and the idea of a factory team layering serious off-road bits, performance packs, or special graphics on top makes all kinds of sense.

• Expectations: Factory-developed accessories, off-road packages, performance-oriented suspension/tires, and software calibrations that talk directly to the truck’s brain.
• Why it matters: Warranty-backed upgrades plus one software stack. No more playing calibration roulette with aftermarket parts.
• Who it’s for: R1 owners heading for Moab, Tahoe powder chasers, and anyone who wants OEM polish with their overlanding badge.

Factory sub-brands at a glance

Done right, RAD could be the difference between “nice electric truck” and “legend-in-the-woods” with warranty intact. And because Rivian owns the software, it can tune throttle mapping, traction logic, and thermal limits to match hardware—something bolt-on shops can’t fully replicate.

Corvette C8-X Concept: From Supercar to Hypercar Posturing

Carscoops also flagged a C8-X concept that nudges the Corvette into hypercar posture. The C8 platform has already proved itself: the base car is a budget Ferrari-day-ruiner, the Z06 screams to the moon, and E-Ray showed how hybrid and AWD can play nice with an American accent. On track, the Z06 I flogged last year felt like an apex-seeking missile with just enough civility to keep your dentist happy.

The C8-X idea reads like the next logical flex—bigger aero, more thermal headroom, and the kind of stance that suggests “your move, Europe.” Whether it’s design exploration or a lighthouse pointing at a future halo, it underscores how elastic the mid-engine Vette architecture really is. If Chevy’s learned anything from the Z06 and E-Ray, it’s that chassis bandwidth is a Corvette superpower.

MotoGP Thailand: Bezzecchi Sticks Pole, Marquez Keeps the Heat On

Autosport’s Thailand GP qualifying recap had spice: Marco Bezzecchi on pole despite a late crash, with Marc Marquez slotting into P2. That last-lap tumble from Bez? Classic MotoGP edge-walking—set the time, push harder, kiss the limit. In Thai heat, tire life becomes the Sunday cliff. If Bezzecchi gets the launch and manages carcass temps through the mid-race grind, he’ll control the accordion. If not, expect Marquez to be the shadow in every mirror. Either way, turn one will be a trust exercise.

Wrap-Up

From a two-door G-Class that answers a question only eight people asked, to an M2 that might finally wear snow boots, to Rivian formalizing its adventure lab, today’s sheet metal is equal parts spectacle and strategy. The Corvette keeps dreaming bigger, and MotoGP remains a masterclass in commitment. Not a bad Friday in our world.

FAQ

• What is Rivian RAD?
  Rivian Adventure Department—an in-house group focused on factory-developed performance and adventure upgrades (hardware and software) for Rivian vehicles.
• Is BMW really making an M2 xDrive?
  A leak reported by multiple outlets suggests an AWD M2 is coming. Details like transmission pairing and power are still to be confirmed.
• How many two-door G-Class coupes is Mansory making?
  Reports point to an ultra-limited run—around eight builds—each heavily customized and priced accordingly.
• What is the Corvette C8-X?
  A concept study pointing to a more extreme, hypercar-leaning evolution of the C8 Corvette, emphasizing aero and performance potential.
• Who took MotoGP pole in Thailand?
  Marco Bezzecchi, with Marc Marquez qualifying second, despite Bezzecchi’s late-session crash.