So, as the miles increase I'm using more throttle and occasionally straying above 4500rpm.

Today I tried full throttle, and despite being in dynamic mode and using the paddles, when I planted my right foot it would only go so far toward the floor before the gearbox would downshift all by itself. The pedal feel was what I expect of a kick down switch on a conventional automatic, with a resistance being felt which you then push through.

As the manual makes much of dynamic mode giving you complete control of shifts when using the paddles, this came as a surprise.

Anyone else?

 

Were you also in Sport Mode? (Dynamic + Sport + Paddles)

 

This ^^^

 

In Sport, Dynamic mode selected, paddles in use for several up-shifts immediately prior to this happening.

Which is why it seemed odd...

 

I think this is the only feature that isn't entirely left to driver control in S plus manual. The gearbox won't upshift at redline if you are in S/manual but if you are in a manually selected gear and mash the throttle beyond the kickdown switch - which is deep into WOT territory - the gearbox will downshift if it can do so safely and keep the car within the RPM range after the shift. It's probably a good idea. If you're cruising at low RPM in a manually selected high gear and suddenly need a burst of acceleration this (on the basis you'd not manually downshifted) is how the car would deliver it - otherwise you'd only accelerate gradually until the RPM picked up to the fun ranges. The circumstances needed to trigger the downshift in this specific case are such that this is probably the behavior you want from the car.

 

Fair points. 2k RPM below the redline seems a little excessive though.

I would have said I was 3/4 of the way to having my foot flat on the floor, but already some way into Waahoo! - rather than WOT - Territory.

Full throttle upshifts are definitely in the realms of "It's Good to be Bad"...

I think Walt has still had the Ultimate Launch Experience though - and I'm not talking about his recent remap.

 

Yeah, I don't think it's tied to getting close to redline though as the kickdown switch is right at the end of the pedal travel, it's more that you activated it as the RPM was still climbing and the car's speed/rpm was bearing less relation to pedal position. If you're in say 5th or 6th gear and driving at say 1500 RPM, speed/RPM will only rise gradually even if you're applying a lot of pedal pressure. If you'd not triggered the switch, the RPM would just have continued to rise (and rise with greater alacrity until you got up to redline).

 

Thinking of installing a steam catapult in your driveway?

 

Interesting . . . I've never experienced this, perhaps because I've been driving manuals so long where I developed the habit of always keeping the revs in the good sounding part of the power band by selecting the gear that kept it in that rev range. In other words, I was constantly shifting, and always enjoyed the pursuit of the perfect up- or down-shift. I'm using the paddles the same way in the F-Type with constant shifting.

 

Yep, that's how I drive too. I've only had one or two times where I'd put the pedal to the metal in high gear at low RPM without downshifting and noticed the same behavior as the OP. Given how I normally drive it would never happen. You have to be some what lugging the engine for this to occur.

 

A further surprise: on a wet road, it is possible to briefly spin the wheels under 'brisk' acceleration, despite the traction control being on.

Dynamic + Sport and using the paddles again.

TracDSC promises to be fun...

 

You can reproduce this regularly at a full stop by turning the wheel and flooring it, and then being ready for a kickout. Even more if you just washed the car and the tires are wet (similar to the wet road experience).

Don't do it around other cars and ideally on a very wide roadspace.

 

Yes, I've seen it on dry pavement as well fairly routinely. I like that the system is not overly intrusive, and I seem to recall reading in a review somewhere that it was designed give the driver a somewhat looser leash than many traction/stability control systems.