Anyone know what does moving the gear box to the left (drivers side in the US) and into "sports mode" do? This is before touching the paddles or pushing the gear box forward/back to engage manual mode.

I can feel a change between regular mode and "sports mode" but not sure exactly what it is and also it stays in automatic until I touch the paddles or push/pull the gear box.

 

It lets you shift the transmission using the shifter knob. Doesn't do anything dynamically (other than holding transmission upshifts a little longer) to the car unless you put it in "Dynamic"

 

First statement: true.
Second statement: false. It raises the shift points (holds gears longer before upshifting). So it alters the dynamics.

BTW, OP, what model do you have? I can't move the gear box on mine (though I can move the gear selector).

 

Oh yah I forgot that tidbit! Edited.

 

 

any point in holding the transmission upshifts a little longer?

 

Yes, there is a point. We want the F-Type to handle like a sports car, not like a Buick.

BTW, putting it in Dynamic Mode (as opposed to just S) will hold the shift points even longer.

 

Yes, faster acceleration.

 

Scotty, I need more power!

 

In addition to holding the gears longer on the way up, it's also quicker to downshift as you slow down.

Also, in Sport Mode, if you use the paddle shifters (or use the stick shift +/-), the transmission stays in near manual mode; whereas, in Normal, it automatically goes back into "D" when you drive for a bit at a steady speed. It's not full manual because is will still automatically drop down to 2nd if you come to a stop. If you're on a fun road, this is the mode you're looking for.

 

cool, sounds like dynamic + sports mode is the way to go then

 

I like revs, and my ongoing peeve with my SLK55 AMG was the lack of a Sport Plus mode. That said, in my F-Type, when I'm in S + Dynamic it seems at times like the revs are TOO high. When I'm buzzing around town at 3500 rpm, I'm waiting for an upshift that never comes. So off goes the Dynamic. At other times, it's just what I want, but it is rather... er, intense, especially combined with Dynamic's very touchy pedal response. Of course it's configurable, so you can turn that off.

 

And if you by some reason should want to go back to Automatic mode after you have used the paddle shifters in Sport mode (and still keep in in Sport mode), just hold the right paddle shifter for a few seconds - and it will do.

 

In that case, just downshift manually with the paddles. After running my car in, I mostly prefer manual mode now, means I can get the pops and crackles on demand!

If you have the configurable i-dynamic option, you can also switch off the throttle response (and other options).

 

In sport mode if you use the paddles it stays in manual mode but will upshift if you hit the rev limiter. To go back to auto mode in sport mode hold the paddle for about 3 seconds. In sport mode the car will not use 7th or 8th gear for most part. Not even 6th unless you are on a very fast cruise on the Autobahn.


In dynamic mode and manual it will not upshift at all and you will bounce off the rev limiter if you do not upshift.


Both modes will also downshift when you hit about 2,000rpm.


I played with all modes last weekend during roll races in my XKRS, which might be a bit different, it only has a 6 gear gearbox, different programming etc.


Observation, manual upshifting most certainly has a harder, faster acceleration versus letting the torque converter sorting things out. Even though you upshift sooner (or risk hitting the rev limiter which happened twice to me) the shift is faster and crisper than when in auto and has less loss of forward acceleration. My best time and trap speed was achieved in dynamic sport mode with manual upshifts versus dynamic sport mode and auto. And I also did starts in manual up to 2nd gear and then holding the paddle for 3rd gear to switch to auto to leave the 3rd to 4th upshift to the automatic and happen "later" trying to get the 4th gear switch to almost happen outside the trap which still did not result in better times and speeds, the auto mode just lets of the throttle too much or there is just a longer hesitation for the gear shift to happen. the video in the gopro thread is in full dynamic sport AUTO mode, as you can hear it already upshifts into 3rd before we hit the start trap. I see if I find a good video of all manual shifts and post them both here tonight.

 

CaptainHam, "what we have here is a failure to communicate" (Cool Hand Luke).

I had written: "When I'm buzzing around town at 3500 rpm, I'm waiting for an upshift that never comes." (That's upshift.) You reply: "In that case, just downshift manually with the paddles."

I had written (about the touchy throttle response in Dynamic): "Of course it's configurable, so you can turn that off." You reply: "If you have the configurable i-dynamic option, you can also switch off the throttle response." Um... yeah.

 

That's understandable. CaptainHam is from the UK, so he's speaking a foreign language. (or are we?)

 

U wot m8? Youse lot r the ones wot talk funny

Sorry Frenchy, I of course meant upshift manually (but typed downshift cos I'm smart like that), and also in my haste I didn't read your comment about the i-dynamic bit (or dynamic-i, whatever it's called).

Maybe because it's my first ever auto but whilst full auto has its place (e.g., traffic), I still seem to mostly prefer manual.

As for the twitchy throttle in Dynamic, I'd have agreed with you after I first got the car, but I decided to persevere with it and now I actually prefer it, seems too sluggish otherwise but maybe I just drive too fast most of the time!

 

OP:

Take your car back to the dealership and demand a refund.

 

So what is the difference between dynamic and s I regards to gear shifts?
I feel like they do the same thing regarding the transmission, although dynamic has other features, and seeing both on is just more of the same.