Sport Mode or the other Sport Mode

S

smojo

New member
Z4 3.0i Automatic with Sport Pkg

Pressing the Sport button enables Sport Mode and the gear selection indicator reads SD (presumably for Sport Drive)
Moving the gear selector to the left, and not moving it to the front or back (with the Sport button off) also causes the gear selection indicator to read SD, even though the Sport button doesn't light up.

Are both considered Sport Mode?
Both feel different than "normal mode" and both feel different from the other way to get into SD.

What are the differences?
 
Actually it's a really good question and I wish as a 3.0i auto driver I could give you a definitive answer, but I can't :thumbsdown:

It does appear to be a half way house as in it drops down a gear for any given revs, but I'm not sure it adjust the gear change harshness or changes the throttle response. My defence is that the only reason I ever push the gear lever over is to allow me to use retorfit paddle shifts to control things

Interested if there is a definitive explanation
 
The combos are . . . .

Default Auto
Auto with sport button on . . . .Sport Mode
Manual by pressing a paddle, in which case if you don't use the paddles to change up or down for a few minutes it will default to Auto
Manual with Sport on . . . . as above but defaults to Sport Auto
Move the lever left, Sport Manual either "Tiptronic" or via the paddles with no default to Auto, it stays in Manual . . . with a further option to engage Sport via the button,but without further experimentation, can't comment on any discernible difference :?

I personally love this gearbox and the options available . . . great fun

As for the differences between normal and sport . . . . the revs rise for any given speed, the gearbox holds onto the revs longer in auto before changing up, the throttle response is much sharper and the gearchanges feel snappier in manual (but that might be adrenalin :rofl: ), and not sure if I've noticed but the steering is supposed to be a bit weightier I think....

Hope this helps . .

Delboy :)
 
Delboy - some interesting comment but I think you missed the point. Forget manual, paddles and tiptoronic. This is a straight comparison between pressing the sport button or pushing the lever to the left and in both cases driving in a pure auto mode. What are the differences?

You appear to define them as sport mode and sport auto
 
Hi cj10, don't think I missed the point, just trying to define all options . . . . notably, that as far as I can discern from driving my own vehicle, there are two mode choices . . . Sport and normal . . .not two differing Sport modes and normal . . . . . . . IMHO

smojo, please fire away with any further queries if you need clarification.....


Delboy :)
 
Then it begs the question as to why fit a sport button on an auto if pushing the lever to the left does exactly the same thing
 
My assessment from reading the manual cover to cover and researching the technology descriptions is:

If you move the gear shift to sport then the gear changes use the sport program. This will cause the up changes to happen later holding the engine in the power range longer. Down changes happen sooner as the car slows down helping with engine breaking effect. The most noticeable effect of this is that the car feels more responsive it is usually in a better gear to accelerate with.

If you active the sport button the car will operate the gearbox in sport mode, even though the selector is still in regular D. In addition to the change in gearbox program the car will use different algorithm for throttle response - the car will react faster to throttle movements. In addition the power steering will give less assistance giving the steering a stiffer feel.

Putting the gear box into sport does not activate the throttle/steering options. Putting the car into sport does activate gearbox sport. Putting both into sport is the same as pressing the sport button alone.

Regards
S
 
I did some basic testing within the limits of the roads I was on this morning and would fully agree with what you are posting spanna2000 :thumbsup:

Both functions drop the gearbox 1 cog for most given speeds thus giving a more sporty and ready to brake/slow feeling

Using the gear lever differs to the sport button in that the increase in throttle sensitivity and the reducing of power steering assistance does not happen.

There is a clear difference between the 2 then :thumbsup:

Amazing that after 3 years of ownership I've never sought out the differences as I tend to use sport button for spirited and the left push of the shifter to allow me to activate paddle control use.
 
Yep - this ties in with what the dealer told me when I bought mine - but they can't always be trusted :lol:
The sport button is particularly useful when trying to keep up with Sammyz etc. in their M's :!:
 
Mmmmm, must investigate further, on reflection selecting "tiptronic" does not switch "Sport" mode on but maintains manual changes either by the lever or the paddles. I used this setting thru the winter to get me out of some deepish snow . . . . and so, tomorrow, I'll find my fave bit of windy road and try all the options again ( note to oneself -"Don't give up your day job to become a Technical Author" :rofl: )

previous post edited to illustrate . . . .and the result was . . .got it wrong again, sorry chaps and chapesses :oops: , so previous post edited yet again to reflect the outcome of some fun B road driving today . .and after all that I think I'll just quietly ride off into the sunset . . in Sport Manual mode of course :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Delboy :)
 
sport button and/or gear to the left: faster throttle response

difference is sport button adds the heavier steering feel gear to the left doesn't.

if you do both, its still the same as just pressing sport button.

honestly the heavy steering feel is just a gimmick, doesn't really add a lot of heavy feel to the steering at all speeds, except during parking
 
smojo said:
Are both considered Sport Mode?
Both feel different than "normal mode" and both feel different from the other way to get into SD.

What are the differences?
Click to expand...

yes both are considered sport mode.
both modes adjusts to a faster throttle response.
sport button just adds heavy steering feel.

if you want heavier steering and sport mode throttle response then just press sport button, SD will appear on dash
if you want normal steering and sport mode throttle response then just put gear to left, SD will appear on dash
pressing sport button and put gear to the left is the same as just pressing sport button with of course the option to use manual gear selection
 
Melbs - can you recheck your assessment that the lever to the left activates a more sensitive throttle. My testing yesterday clearly showed me it did NOT.

When moving the lever to the left it drops a gear and thus responds faster in acceleration, however the normal throttle travel is required. Press the sport button and you get both the drop of a gear and the more sensitive throttle map.
 
I could have sworn that I noticed both the increased throttle response and the heavier steering, in both 'sport' modes. The only difference I could work out is that in 'button' mode, any manual changes with the paddles are temporary, and it reverts back within about 30 seconds, whereas with the lever shifted over, any manual changes stick

Will need to try again

To muddy the waters further - is there a 3rd combo? eg do you get 'super sport' having both the lever shifted over *and* the sport button pressed?

It would be nice to have flexibility of shift speeds etc (like the M3 has).
 
Excellent discussion, everyone. Thanks for all the feedback.

I think that makes the most sense and describes the differences I feel when testing the two different "Sport" modes. (Heavier feeling steering is only added when pressing the Sport button.)

Now I'm wondering about the non-sport pkg models. Does anyone looking at this thread have an auto Z4 but WITHOUT the Sport button? Do you also see SD on the gear indicator when you move the gear selector to the left?
 
cj10jeeper said:
Melbs - can you recheck your assessment that the lever to the left activates a more sensitive throttle. My testing yesterday clearly showed me it did NOT.

When moving the lever to the left it drops a gear and thus responds faster in acceleration, however the normal throttle travel is required. Press the sport button and you get both the drop of a gear and the more sensitive throttle map.
Click to expand...

will double check on this cj, since going on a long trip this weekend so will fully test it at speed
 
smojo said:
Now I'm wondering about the non-sport pkg models. Does anyone looking at this thread have an auto Z4 but WITHOUT the Sport button? Do you also see SD on the gear indicator when you move the gear selector to the left?
Click to expand...

all steptronic bmws i think makes the indicator change to SD when you move the gear lever to the left. our X5 3.0d for sure did this.
 
melbs said:
cj10jeeper said:
Melbs - can you recheck your assessment that the lever to the left activates a more sensitive throttle. My testing yesterday clearly showed me it did NOT.

When moving the lever to the left it drops a gear and thus responds faster in acceleration, however the normal throttle travel is required. Press the sport button and you get both the drop of a gear and the more sensitive throttle map.
Click to expand...

will double check on this cj, since going on a long trip this weekend so will fully test it at speed
Click to expand...

Melbs - check it this way:

Set the car at a steady speed say 50 mph on a quiet stretch and feel the throttle sensitivty without go so far as to cause it to change down.

Now push the lever to the left and it will of course go into SD
Use the manual and shift it back to the same gear it was in before (as it will have dropped one gear)
Now test the throttle sensitivity in the same manner and you'll see it's the same

Repeat excercise but with sport pressed too and you'll find the throttle now sensitive.

From this I drew my conclusion that only the sport button affects throttle sensitivity

(Long journey this week on average speed controlled roads.....lol)
 
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