Difference Between Sport & Drive

Hi MY 2014- 9 speed Auto on Prestige

What is the difference please between Sports Mode & 'normal' Drive
Is it just Revs for change up ? or anything else?
Many thanks

Yes there is difference! If you use S then you should use the paddles to up/downshift otherwise upshifts will not happen until the rev limiter is reached and then it will automatically override S and shift up to save you destroying the engine..................... with the diesel the engine sounds very strained too at high revs and being a diesel, there is no point in having a screaming engine as you don't gain anything. Also if you are off road you are able to manually hold the gears in 1st/2nd /3rd as you need for engine braking or low down torque. Basically S gives you manual sequential gearshifts.

(13-10-2014 07:30pm)XFullFatTim Wrote:  Yes there is difference! If you use S then you should use the paddles to up/downshift otherwise upshifts will not happen until the rev limiter is reached and then it will automatically override S and shift up to save you destroying the engine..................... with the diesel the engine sounds very strained too at high revs and being a diesel, there is no point in having a screaming engine as you don't gain anything. Also if you are off road you are able to manually hold the gears in 1st/2nd /3rd as you need for engine braking or low down torque. Basically S gives you manual sequential gearshifts.

Many thanks-very helpful

I'm going to have to disagree with Tim on this one in regards to the screaming engine part. I use S when I need to be getting a move on in traffic, I don't find the engine hitting the rev limiter, it tends to change gear just before you get there, no problem for the engine at all.

i'm with Stadt on this one.

i too would like to know how exactly the software differs, but i don't think it's as extreme as you lay out, Tim.

i usually stay in D unless i know i'm going to be driving aggressively for some reason, and then S isn't just nice, it's a must (MY 2012 (not 9 speed); gas/petrol, not diesel).

doody.

Im with SP regards engine revs, and regularly use S if I am looking to get a quick getaway into a roundabout or at a junction as I feel there is less delay on the gearbox.

D is for when you like the movie Driving Miss Daisy
S is if you liked Speed 1, 2, 3....

At least that is how I understand it.

(14-10-2014 08:25am)Biker Wrote:  D is for when you like the movie Driving Miss Daisy
S is if you liked Speed 1, 2, 3....

At least that is how I understand it.

OK,OK I haven't yet, in the 3800 miles I've put on my 9 speeder, intentionally taken the revs that high toward the limiter in S prefering to shift it up around 3000 revs.

Regrading the speed of shifts in S, yes I believe that is also how LR managed to post the SD4 0-62 times being quicker than the 6 speed manual. The old 6 speed auto was the same - very very quick changes. If you pull the paddle quickly enough it will even miss out gears on down shifts providing it won't send the revs toward the limiter.

To echo what others have said, I've used "S" mode a bit. Seems to hold the revs longer before shifting, but doesn't get near redline during casual acceleration and seems to shift quicker. Also holds gears longer before shifting up, which I like. e.g. coming to slow speed corner, it holds a lower gear so the car doesn't seem to lug during the turn.

I plan on keeping it in S mode for a tank or two to see how it affects the gas mileage.