Drive Wire: February 5, 2016

Volvo packages, Tesla stock news, airbag recalls, a 3D pen, and Rocky Mountain biking.

byThe Drive Staff|
Drive Wire: February 5, 2016
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Hey guys, it’s Christina Thompson and this is Drive Wire for Friday, February 5th.

Good stuff from Volvo this morning as the company announced a Pole-Star optimization package will be available for all T-6 models – that’s the S-60 sedan, the V60 sportwagon, and the XC-60 SUV. Although the performance package gets owners a small horsepower and torque bump, the package is more focused on the drivetrain as whole and provides better throttle response, faster gearshifts, and mid-range power. The coolest feature is that dealers can install the package on existing models, so T-6 Volvo owners, your destiny is set.

Bad news for Tesla, the electric automaker’s stock has slipped back to early-2014 levels. The price hit a bump in the last few days after a prominent analyst dropped his outlook estimation based on lower volume sales for the new Model X and increasing competition. If you’re looking for advice on whether to buy Tesla stock, you’ve come to the wrong place. We at Drive Wire are not in any way financial advisors, and frankly, you’re better off getting investment tips from any of your cousins who wear nice shoes to their job. At any rate, Tesla will release its fourth-quarter earnings next Wednesday, so expect more news then.

Turning to safety news, it seems a second wave of airbag recalls is upon us. Parts supplier Continental Automotive Systems says that certain airbags may malfunction if their control computers are exposed to moisture, causing them to deploy immediately or not at all. The recall affects five million vehicles from Honda, Fiat-Chrysler, and Mercedes; all automakers will replace affected parts free of charge, so check with yourself before you wreck yourself.

In today’s gear pick, we deviate from the usual functional and head more to the fantastical. 3D pens are a thing, and the 3-Doodler is one of the most established. Bringing your creations to life, a 3D pen allows you to go free-form and free-hand, instantly making almost any shape you can imagine. The latest 3-Doodler is smaller and has two speeds to let you draw things magically in the air at your own pace.

In today’s ridiculous video, we ride along with the Rocky Mountain bicycle crew as they plow down the snowy slopes of British Columbia. With the blizzard fat tire as their chariot, these brave souls taking mountain biking to a whole new level of insanity. We all know mountain biking is a dangerous sport, but when you had frozen white stuff to it, it becomes one big buildup to a wipe out…and it’s awesome.

That’s it for today’s edition of Drive Wire. For more, be sure to come back to thedrive.com, and follow us @thedrive on all your favorite social media platforms.

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