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      02-06-2019, 03:35 AM   #1
PaperLawyer
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Sport mode clarity needed

Hi all, I've recently purchased an X1 (2018 xDrive 20d auto) and, despite reading the manual, I'm somewhat confused as to the difference between selecting sport mode via the button on the transmission tunnel and knocking the gear selector over to the left, into Sport.

My understanding is that moving the gear selector over to the left will cause the automatic transmission to hold onto higher revs, hold onto a gear higher into the rev range and enable manual shifting via the paddles behind the steering wheel (not something I'm inclined to do in a diesel - I'll leave the manual gearbox work to my S2000!).

What does Sport Mode also do (apart from put some Sport dials on the iDrive screen)? Do I need to even bother pressing the button to make more rapid progress or should I simply push the selector to the left?
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      02-06-2019, 05:57 AM   #2
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Mine is 20i so not sure if diesel is the same but sport mode from driving mode button definitely gives more acceleration response. The gear lever to M/S pushes each gear further and holds higher revs on lift. So the two combined gives a much sportier drive than one or the other. Then it also gets more interesting still when combined with with traction turned to dynamic or off... 😉
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      02-06-2019, 07:46 AM   #3
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Hi
Depends on specification of your car, sport Mode changes the shift pattern for an automatic gearbox (higher revs before changing) as well as a small change to ecu profile for fuel and turbo boost (so more responsive but with loss to fuel economy). If your car has electronically adjustable dampers (build option for most models - but standard, I think, on msport) then it will also firm up the suspension.
For cars without paddles on steering wheel, (sports auto gearbox) pushing the lever to the left will engage sport mode but the main purpose is it allows you to to change up and down manually (push lever forward or pull lever back) and disengages automatic shifting (within limits). You will see the gear number displayed on your instrument cluster. People with paddles can engage manual change mode just by using the paddles.
In brief, pushing the automatic gear lever to the left is about switching to manually triggered gear shifts which can allow more car control, once is this position the gear lever can shift forward and backward thus changing gear up or down. You can obviously select “sport” and leave your gearbox in fully automatic mode by using the switch.

Last edited by MJE60; 02-06-2019 at 10:46 AM..
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      02-06-2019, 09:54 AM   #4
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That's interesting. I have a 2.0i and drive in Sport mode mainly.

Moving the gear to the side seems to make it manual - I can't drive in auto in that mode.
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      02-06-2019, 10:34 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pandauk View Post
That's interesting. I have a 2.0i and drive in Sport mode mainly.

Moving the gear to the side seems to make it manual - I can't drive in auto in that mode.
Hi
Correct, to drive in fully auto “sport” mode you leave gear lever in normal position and select sport mode using (sport, comfort, eco) switch. Using paddles or pushing gear lever to the left puts car in manual change mode. If you stop using paddles (with gear selector in normal position) it will eventually revert back from manual mode to auto but with the gear lever pushed to the left You have to change it back yourself.

Last edited by MJE60; 02-06-2019 at 10:53 AM..
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      02-06-2019, 11:16 AM   #6
PaperLawyer
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Interesting replies and appreciated.

However....pushing the gear selector to the left doesn't force manual only - it will still shift as an auto until you start using the paddles (and then it will still intervene if you hit the rev limiter) - I read this somewhere earlier this week and certainly I have pushed the selector to the left and continued to let the auto box do its thing (hence me wondering what the differences were between Sport on selector vs. the sport mode button).

Re the adjustable dampers, it is a £150 optional extra on the BMW configurator, even on the M Sport trim level (I've just double checked). However, the picture of the selector button on the BMW configurator website shows exactly the same Sport and Eco Pro switches that are in my M Sport (which doesn't list adaptive dampers as a fitted option). So I'm still confused!

I wish the user manual was clearer on this point!

EDIT: See page 78 of the user manual: https://www.carmanualsonline.info/bm...rch=sport+mode

....unless the behaviour I'm seeing exhibited in Sport is simply the auto box taking control as the rev limiter is approached. The sales guy who demonstrated the car suggested moving the selector to the left (without then pushing the selector up or down to manually shift gears) simply engaged a different mode for the auto box (without forcing manual changes). He may have been wrong and I've only tried it a few times so perhaps more play time in the car is required!

Last edited by PaperLawyer; 02-06-2019 at 11:23 AM..
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      02-06-2019, 11:26 AM   #7
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In summary, it sounds like simply pressing the Sports Mode button tells the auto to upshift at higher revs and improves throttle response.

Pushing the selector to the left (only) is simply part of the process to engage manual shifting but does not, by itself, make any difference.
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      02-06-2019, 01:37 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PaperLawyer View Post
In summary, it sounds like simply pressing the Sports Mode button tells the auto to upshift at higher revs and improves throttle response.

Pushing the selector to the left (only) is simply part of the process to engage manual shifting but does not, by itself, make any difference.
Hi
It is probably also useful to remember that the spec of cars varies around the world and that many (if not most) of the auto X1’s do not have paddles. Remove the paddles and it becomes less confusing - shift to the left to enable manual shifting, manual shifting engaged once lever pushed forward or back. In my comments I did say within limits, so regardless of mode or setting, it is always an auto box and will not exceed rev limits (it will change up, or once in top gear it will rev limit throttle). It is possibly an ecu setting option which causes a left shift to manual mode to also select sport . If my memory is not failing me I believe I have used the paddles in comfort mode. I have not played around with m/s mode (shifting lever to left and trying to change drive mode) but will try out if one can then select comfort mode and continue manually shifting using the gear lever. Anyhow, get on a winding road with sharp corners and try manual shifting in sport mode, using paddles or the gear lever, it does -provide some engine braking effect and thus more control when cornering. IMHO it is just as much fun in a diesel as it is in a petrol version. I would probably select manual shifting as a default when driving on snow and ice as having to use brakes as the only way to slow the car is not always ideal. Anyhow, if you find out more then please share.
Cheers
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      02-06-2019, 01:44 PM   #9
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I'll have a look as well, as mine has the paddles too. Weekend experiment
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      02-06-2019, 03:59 PM   #10
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You can go from Sport m/s mode directly to comfort m/s mode with a push of the button and still be able to do manual shifting w/o problem. I've tried it and it works well. Only difference in my experience is the throttle response is muted compared to Sport mode. That has been rectified since I had my ECU flashed for more power. Now I drive in comfort mode with the lever moved to the left and it behaves like Sport mode. With the lever in original position, the comfort mode shifts at 2000 rpm like it's suppose to, but throttle response is more improved as if you were in Sport mode.
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      02-06-2019, 07:54 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by PaperLawyer View Post
In summary, it sounds like simply pressing the Sports Mode button tells the auto to upshift at higher revs and improves throttle response.

Pushing the selector to the left (only) is simply part of the process to engage manual shifting but does not, by itself, make any difference.
Both the sports mode and the gear selector will improve throttle response and will hold the gears longer before upshifting. It will also downshift more aggressively for more engine braking. I believe the shift speed is quicker/ more abrupt as well (compared to comfort).

The sports mode will also make the steering more weighted. If you have the adjustable dampers, it will stiffen up the suspension as well.

Moving the selector to the left will give you the option to control the gears. It will not change the dampers nor steering characteristics.
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      02-09-2019, 02:21 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Douggie View Post
Both the sports mode and the gear selector will improve throttle response and will hold the gears longer before upshifting. It will also downshift more aggressively for more engine braking. I believe the shift speed is quicker/ more abrupt as well (compared to comfort).

The sports mode will also make the steering more weighted. If you have the adjustable dampers, it will stiffen up the suspension as well.

Moving the selector to the left will give you the option to control the gears. It will not change the dampers nor steering characteristics.
Thanks, this makes good sense to me.

This morning I had a short play with the gear selector and sport mode (I was in traffic on the motorway so it was a very limited play).

Pressing the sport mode button brought up the "SPORT" label against the "D" on the instrument cluster. Whereas moving back to Comfort mode and then pushing the gear selector to the left changed the "D" to "S7", indicating 7th gear on the auto box and in sport. Paying with the throttle position confirmed that the autobox still shifted up and done automatically (Rather than simply shifting up when revs where near limiter). Of course, I could have started using the manual paddles as well but it wasn't the right environment to do so (nor do I feel any inclination to do so with a diesel powered car).
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