Sports button
- Thread starter harry3747
- Start date
In my opinion, the Sport button was down to the Marketing department rather than Engineering, which is a real shame as there was a time when M stood for engineering excellence rather than ///Marketing. (Just witness the new "M Performance" range to see what BMW is doing with M).
On the Z4M (and, to a lesser extent, the E39 M5), the Sport button just destroys the sensitivity of the throttle response and makes the car all but impossible to drive smoothly. it's a shame, as I quite like the firmer steering (especially on the M5), but there's no way to engage that without also altering the throttle response.
On the Z4M (and, to a lesser extent, the E39 M5), the Sport button just destroys the sensitivity of the throttle response and makes the car all but impossible to drive smoothly. it's a shame, as I quite like the firmer steering (especially on the M5), but there's no way to engage that without also altering the throttle response.
ZedFourM said:In my opinion, the Sport button was down to the Marketing department rather than Engineering, which is a real shame as there was a time when M stood for engineering excellence rather than ///Marketing. (Just witness the new "M Performance" range to see what BMW is doing with M).
On the Z4M (and, to a lesser extent, the E39 M5), the Sport button just destroys the sensitivity of the throttle response and makes the car all but impossible to drive smoothly. it's a shame, as I quite like the firmer steering (especially on the M5), but there's no way to engage that without also altering the throttle response.
Sport mode makes difference to steering, or anything else, on z4m. Only alters throttle map.
wantanM said:ZedFourM said:In my opinion, the Sport button was down to the Marketing department rather than Engineering, which is a real shame as there was a time when M stood for engineering excellence rather than ///Marketing. (Just witness the new "M Performance" range to see what BMW is doing with M).
On the Z4M (and, to a lesser extent, the E39 M5), the Sport button just destroys the sensitivity of the throttle response and makes the car all but impossible to drive smoothly. it's a shame, as I quite like the firmer steering (especially on the M5), but there's no way to engage that without also altering the throttle response.
Sport mode makes NO difference to steering, or anything else, on z4m. Only alters throttle map.
As he said
Hmmm - must be getting mixed up with the M5 (where the Sport button makes a considerable difference to the steering feel).
Interestingly, the Z4 Owner's Manual (Page 42) says:
Interestingly, the Z4 Owner's Manual (Page 42) says:
There's nothing in the Supplementary Owner's Manual for BMW Z4 M Roadster / Z4 M Coupé about the Sport Button, which normally means that a control operates in the same way as the non-M variants.
bennyboysvuk said:I'm with TheRealDC on this one, it's sport mode off for me because I absolutely want a linear throttle pedal. Instead of pressing sport on turning on the ignition though, I always go for DSC instead to stop that daft nannying light from flashing on the dash when the rear starts to come into action.
+1, DSC button I do press every time I get in the car. TCS gets pressed every time I get in my little Mazda too. Hate the clumsy, electronic nanny's, with the exception of modern ABS, which I think they just about have sorted these days.
From the data I've given in my first posting in this thread: it's clear that if you want Wide Open Throttle (WOT) in Sport Mode you still have to fully depress the accelerator pedal just as much as when Sport Mode is switched off. :wink:
Here's a graph which I've produced from datalogging my Z4MC several months ago, with the OEM throttle maps.
"Calculated Load" is the percentage of accelerator pedal depression. As can be seen, at 100% Calculated Load, the ECU says that the throttle is only open by 76%, but whether this is true or whether this is genuinely WOT (i.e 100% open), I've yet to discover. However, as the graph shows, the Air Flow through the MAF progressively increases with increase in engine RPM and vehicle acceleration, despite the throttle being fully open throughout. Therefore, whether you are in Sport Mode or not, the time taken to fully depress the accelerator pedal is exactly the SAME, and you still need to floor the pedal to get maximum throttle opening/acceleration.
I'll do some more datalogging in Sport Mode to determine if SM increases the Absolute Throttle Position above 76% or makes any other changes.
Here's a graph which I've produced from datalogging my Z4MC several months ago, with the OEM throttle maps.
"Calculated Load" is the percentage of accelerator pedal depression. As can be seen, at 100% Calculated Load, the ECU says that the throttle is only open by 76%, but whether this is true or whether this is genuinely WOT (i.e 100% open), I've yet to discover. However, as the graph shows, the Air Flow through the MAF progressively increases with increase in engine RPM and vehicle acceleration, despite the throttle being fully open throughout. Therefore, whether you are in Sport Mode or not, the time taken to fully depress the accelerator pedal is exactly the SAME, and you still need to floor the pedal to get maximum throttle opening/acceleration.
I'll do some more datalogging in Sport Mode to determine if SM increases the Absolute Throttle Position above 76% or makes any other changes.
I tried it ionce on road and track and found it to be more of a problem than anything else. As the Z4MC is sensitive to pedal work (kangooring off the green light anyone?) It takes enough time for my right foot to adjust to the throttle's mapping without adding another variable in there.
On track it makes small throttle openings difficult and heals & toe clumsy (which I am plenty enought as it is).
Somehow I did get the impression it let the car slip more before ESP / ABS got involved, but there is no mention of it anywhere. Could someone have a try on the track next time on this particular aspect?
On track it makes small throttle openings difficult and heals & toe clumsy (which I am plenty enought as it is).
Somehow I did get the impression it let the car slip more before ESP / ABS got involved, but there is no mention of it anywhere. Could someone have a try on the track next time on this particular aspect?
I did some datalogging today with the Sport Mode switched on and off. The DSC was on in all runs. Here is a graph showing the comparison of runs performed over the same route. The data shows that although the accelerator pedal was floored in 1st gear (i.e. Calculated Load), the Absolute Throttle Position (i.e. throttle bodies) do not open instantly, but instead, they progressively open, thus giving some form of "launch control". From previous datalogging, the Air/Fuel Ratio is also held at Stoichiometric level in 1st gear. However, in 2nd and 3rd gears, the throttle opens fully as soon as the accelerator pedal is floored. The rate of engine rpm increase is the same in all gears, whether or not the Sport Mode is switched on or off.
It appears to me from datalogging that there is no difference to performance whether the Sport Mode is switched on or off. The only difference it makes is as discussed earlier: i.e. you get more throttle response than OEM relative to accelerator pedal travel before it's floored. As I've said before, it's just a gimmick! :wink:
It appears to me from datalogging that there is no difference to performance whether the Sport Mode is switched on or off. The only difference it makes is as discussed earlier: i.e. you get more throttle response than OEM relative to accelerator pedal travel before it's floored. As I've said before, it's just a gimmick! :wink:
You can post 100 graphs, but the fact remains: The Sport button sharpens throttle response. Whether u like it or not is personal preference, and I for one have gotten used to driving with it ON every day and enjoy the way it feels. When I leave it turned off, I feel like the car is doggin it - because my right foot is used to the added sensitivity. To each his own, but its far from a 'gimmick'
