Sport button

[ElegantSpoon]

daft question-can sport button be retrofitted?

My 2.2 doesn't have one either.

Its naturally sporty :wink:

 

[Spandex]

I believe you are describing active steering? In which case no the Z doesn't have it...

BMW didn't call it Active Steering on the Z4, but it does have speed sensitive power assist (the end result is much the same, although the technology behind it may well be different). So, you should notice the steering firm up at higher speeds.

 

[Mr Whippy]

I believe you are describing active steering? In which case no the Z doesn't have it...

BMW didn't call it Active Steering on the Z4, but it does have speed sensitive power assist (the end result is much the same, although the technology behind it may well be different). So, you should notice the steering firm up at higher speeds.

I think the active steering actually changes the steering ratio though, so at parking speeds you can get full lock with maybe a single turn of the steering wheel, and as it speeds up it alters and gets less sensitive. Not 100% sure but I thought I had read that.

I'm glad the Z4 just alters assistance with speed/sport setting then... in theory that should be re-mappable. Ie, copy the normal steering maps into the sport maps, so you just get the better throttle on sport for instance. Or just copy the sport throttle maps into the normal ones, so the sport button just alters the steering.

Not really a mod either as you are just changing default existing modes...

 

[Spandex]

Ahhh, ok... Gannet was right then... The Z4 doesn't change the lock to lock distance, just the amount of assistance.

 

[paddy wright]

daft question-can sport button be retrofitted?

My 2.2 doesn't have one either.

Its naturally sporty :wink:

good call mate- our 2.2s are clearly not in need of spoting up

 

[Rama]

When I had the 3.0 I had the sport button on all the time (6 speed). It reduced the tramlining and once I was used to the throttle response it was a much nicer car to drive. On the M it's rarely on as it's not needed to be "sporty." I usually only press the sport button in the M when I want to get by someone very quickly or if I'm out to have a bit of fun.

I found no downside to the sport in the non-M car.

Cheers, Al

 

[Aebous]

To me its equally sporty on a 3.0 w/ sports package manual having the sport mode on or not as far as overall drive goes. Sport IMO makes the DTC/DSC less intrusive though I have no firm evidence to say so. The throttle is more sensitive, but if your fast with the pedal anyways you can get the same effect. Steering is what everyone else has said. I use sport mode for the firmer steering when driving on 99% of the roads. Parking lots is the main place its off.

 

[Andrew D]

The Sport button has quite a pronounced effect on cars with SMG, as speeds up the gearshift quite considerably (it's pretty brutal if you've got the loud pedal floored). As with the Steptronic it also lifts the upshift point in automatic mode; good for speed but bad for fuel and engine wear, so I only use it in manual mode.

I generally use the Sport button if I'm on a road trip (i.e. driving for the fun of it), but rarely ever in day-to-day driving. It can get tiring after a while, and the louder exhaust note can get wearing, especially around 60mph in top.

I find that Sport mode switches the car from a relaxed cruiser like an SLK320 (R170) to something more focused such as a Boxster S; which I think plays to the real strength of the Z4. It's a true roadster; refined and comfortable most of the time, hardcore when you want it to be.