[TheFifthElement]

Apologies, I've had a quick search and can't see anything that tells me what the difference is between running my car in Sport + mode with the gearlever in the normal position, and in Sport + with the gearlever over to the left in M/S mode (left in S).

I expected there to be a change in upshift/downshift behavior (a bit like dynamic in my old S3, which would basically select the lowest gear for the speed .. so you could run around town in 1st and it wouldn't change up until you hit the limiter)

I'm not really experiencing much difference. Should there be? Am I just being a nugget?

I have an F30 335i with Sports Auto and paddles (2013)

[Rich9600]

With the stick left you run higher rpm than sports mode, I think Sport drops one gear and left drops two.

Also, if you paddle with the stick left you have full control. In other modes it won't let you do something stupid with the paddles.

[xenon]

If the shifter is to the left it will hold revs and change later but will still be automatic so couldn't drive around in 1st for ever. However, if you switch to 'manual' mode (shifter to the left and then operate one of the paddles) it will then stay in that gear until you change it yourself or it hits the limiter / nearly stalls. Changing to sport+ just makes it a bit more aggressive in either of the auto modes.

[TheFifthElement]

Ah, so the difference is fairly subtle .. just wondered really. I'll stick with the paddles for full on hoonage

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by TheFifthElement

Apologies, I've had a quick search and can't see anything that tells me what the difference is between running my car in Sport + mode with the gearlever in the normal position, and in Sport + with the gearlever over to the left in M/S mode (left in S).

I expected there to be a change in upshift/downshift behavior (a bit like dynamic in my old S3, which would basically select the lowest gear for the speed .. so you could run around town in 1st and it wouldn't change up until you hit the limiter)

I'm not really experiencing much difference. Should there be? Am I just being a nugget?

I have an F30 335i with Sports Auto and paddles (2013)

There are differences in Sport mode and M/S shifter position, as has been said. I see the Sport 'drivetrain' mode as a sort of "halfway mode" to full Sport transmission function.

For example, I run with chassis checked, so Sport mode does nothing to the gearbox. In that configuration I require Sport+ to engages the Sport mode gearbox settings. If I switch to Sport+, say accelerating from 30mph, the transmission will drop one gear, flick the shifter to M/S, drops another gear. Same happens at higher speeds. Sport+ typically drops one gear, add M/S, drops another gear.

[Smee]

teaston has a spread sheet showing what they do in different mode and stick positions

[rossm]

[Smee]

Aye that's it

[1966-TR4]

What is the story with using the down paddle to drop to the lowest possible gear ie a kind of kickdown? I've seen references to this but don't seem to be able to replicate it, do you have to be in a particular mode?

[jrah]

Been wondering this myself, that table is a good reference

[KraigF30]

Originally Posted by Rich9600

With the stick left you run higher rpm than sports mode, I think Sport drops one gear and left drops two.

Also, if you paddle with the stick left you have full control. In other modes it won't let you do something stupid with the paddles.

I've also noticed that when in D, and you use the flappy paddles, it takes 0.5-1 second to register/make the gear change. Whereas in ... ah no wait, I think that's to do with comfort vs sport. I'm sure using the flappy paddles in comfort takes about a second to make the change, vs almost instant when in sport.

As for the gear stick being in the middle or left, yeah it definitely feels more responsive when the gear leaver is in sport.

[Russbmw]

Can't say as I've noticed any delay differences with the paddle TBH.

As mentioned above, it's more gearing related.

[TheFifthElement]

That's a great table - much appreciated rossm

[P1 PET]

Sport+ with stick to left gives very similar shift and gearbox response like PDK in Porsche.

[vadimo]

main thing i find is that it shifts through gears much quicker in sport+ i use it often on joining on to motorways from a round about

[....,,,,..,,..]

Originally Posted by 1966-TR4

What is the story with using the down paddle to drop to the lowest possible gear ie a kind of kickdown? I've seen references to this but don't seem to be able to replicate it, do you have to be in a particular mode?

It's basically a block shift, you need to pull back and hold paddle and accelerate.

It will drop to lowest gear, likely better in a petrol.

[bimmer456]

Originally Posted by TheFifthElement

Apologies, I've had a quick search and can't see anything that tells me what the difference is between running my car in Sport + mode with the gearlever in the normal position, and in Sport + with the gearlever over to the left in M/S mode (left in S).

I expected there to be a change in upshift/downshift behavior (a bit like dynamic in my old S3, which would basically select the lowest gear for the speed .. so you could run around town in 1st and it wouldn't change up until you hit the limiter)

I'm not really experiencing much difference. Should there be? Am I just being a nugget?

I have an F30 335i with Sports Auto and paddles (2013)

On my LCI, you can have the stick to the left in sport + or in D and it shifts differently. Personally I prefer sport + in D rather than S it seem to shift faster and I think the torque converter stays locked vs. the torque converter staying more open in S. I'm not sure if it revs higher in each gear in S vs D but it revs quite a bit either way. If you use the paddles in S it is more or less like a manual so you have to remember to shift to keep it in the power band, vs in D it will temporarily enter into M mode but will change back to the D program eventually if you don't shift with the paddles. I think the S mode is the same whether in sport or sport +, but the sport or sport + will still determine the throttle mapping (which means really the throttle response) vs leaving it in D it also determines how it will shift. So S mode really just determines how it shifts vs sport and sport + affects much more (throttle and steering as well) and can be customized somewhat in sport.

[vadimo]

Originally Posted by Brigand

It's basically a block shift, you need to pull back and hold paddle and accelerate.

It will drop to lowest gear, likely better in a petrol.

Didn't know that I thought kickdown disappeared from BMW, I remember in e46 the gas pedal was two stage press, The final press was kickdown, loved it.
Gonna try tonight

[AdmiralGant]

Interesting stuff and that is a great table. I did try launch control on a dry country road about a week ago but I got the impression it was just spinning the rear tyres when I was standing still but could have been doing it wrong.

Despite all the modes and being capable of flicking the stick left, I tend to just drive in Comfort where it hits the legal 70 limit even from standstill in probably about 7 seconds.

What would be interesting perhaps is - is the 0-60 time and say 30-70 time much different between comfort/sport/sport + and the same with the box to the left, to me more revs can mean less torque on the d engines so probably makes no difference.

Anyone done a test?