Hello all. I have researched this topic a bit but I am still not 100% certain that I understand. There are definitely conflicting and seemingly confusing answers and opinions. We recently purchased a 2011 XJ with only 16k miles, now has little over 17k. Engine is the standard 5.0 liter 385 bhp. As I understand, Dynamic Driving Mode stiffens the suspension a bit, changes the transmission shift points and perhaps also alters the engine someway. Questions are:

1. Does putting the gear selector in S do anything more than give you access to paddle shifting?
2. Does putting in S enhance the Dynamic Mode over leaving the trans in D? For instance, if I am in Dynamic Mode, then shift from D to S but chose to not use the paddles, will the S setting provide more performance over Dynamic Mode in D?
3. I saw one article that seemed to indicate that turning off DSC also provides a bump in performance, true or false?

Thanks in advance for responses!

HavocX10

 

HavocX10,

Welcome to the Forum. You'll find lots of helpful members and information here.

Since your XJ is not supercharged, the only way you can access the paddle shifters is to put the gear selector in S (Sport) mode. Supercharged 5.0L XJ models can access the paddle shifters in both D and S modes.

I'm not positive, but I think that all S mode affects is the transmission - it enables use of the paddle shifters and raises the shift points to maximize engine power; I think it will go to redline. If left in D, the tranny will shift sooner for better fuel economy and might not go to redline, but I'm not certain.

Dynamic Mode raises the transmission shift points and firms up the suspension to reduce body roll. I'm not sure if the paddle shifters are available in Dynamic Mode in your normally aspirated XJ; I think you may still need to be in Sport mode as well to use the paddle shifters.

Turning DSC off completely eliminates the "nannies", so there are no automatic systems to cut back on engine power or redirect braking when the computers sense that you may be getting into trouble. Is that a bump in performance? That depends on your skill as a driver. Most people need to leave DSC on all the time; otherwise, they may experience a bump - but not an intended one.

If you want a real bump in performance, test drive a supercharged 5.0L.

See this video from Jaguar:

If this was helpful, please press at the bottom right.

Stuart

 

When I went to The Jaguar Performance Driving Academy a couple of years ago in Las Vegas we got to drive the then hot setups of XFR, XKR and XJR all 2014 models. In each case the instructors recommended these settings for maximum performance:
1, Dynamic Mode (tightened suspension, increased engine response, and tightened steering)
2, "S" mode for transmission (raised shift points and tightened shifting)
3 "DSC" set to Trac DSC" (reduced skid control to allow for limited drifting)

With those settings the Jags came alive and we were able to test our limits. It was a fun week as I took both courses available Basic (came as a perk for my model XJ) and Advanced. The cars were used and flogged and we never had a failure. The techs said that they would use a set of tires and brakes for each "school".

 

FYI, I have a 2011 N.A. XJL, and I can use the Paddle Shifters even in regular D setting, without having to put the system in Dynamic mode. I think this is a dealer-enabled setting. Of course, the system does revert back to auto-shifting if the paddle shifters are not used for 5 seconds or so.
But I like it because sometimes I can override the automatic tranny when I find that it is taking too long to shift, especially when you perform a standing start on a downhill road, where I find the tranny tends to be long on the up-shift.

 

Thanks very much everybody for the informative responses. LiquidIce, that may be a feature of the XJL model, my XJ definitely has to be in S mode to access the paddles. XJsss, great info from the Driving Academy. There was some confusion, perhaps on my part, that Dynamic Mode provided the same tranny shift alterations as shifting to S on the gear selector, making S redundant unless you wanted to shift using the paddles. I think I will leave DSC on, I have no desire to drift and will not be doing any track circuit racing either.

 

HavocX10,

On my 2013 XJ, the owner can select using paddle shifters either in S mode only or in both D and S modes. I don't know if that's the same for 2011 models. Here's how to check:

1. Press the OK button in the center of the selector on the right side of your steering wheel to enter the Main Menu, which will replace the tachometer display:


2. Using the down arrow on that controller, scroll down and select Vehicle Setup:


3. Scroll down to select Gearbox Paddles


4. And then select your choice of mode:


Let us know if your 2011 XJ works the same way.

Stuart

 

One of the things that is annoying me a little bit is that the paddles do not blip the engine on downshift like the XF, FTYPE and XK. The exceptions are the XJR and the XJ Supersport. Why couldn't they have just included this on all the models?

 

Stuart, thx for the great pics but no sir, my 2011 does not have that choice in the Settings tree.

Amcdonal86, "blip the engine"?

 

Back in the day, when downshifting a manual transmission you would rev up the engine ("blip") to match the higher rpms of the lower gear before engaging the clutch in that lower gear. That would provide a smoother transition and reduce the wear and tear on those components. That was also called "double clutching" when you engaged the clutch in neutral before you depressed it again to shift into the lower gear. This was necessary if that lower gear was not synchromesh. Otherwise, the gears would "crunch" and you could break a gear tooth. Geez, my age is showing!

Is "blipping" necessary for today's modern automatic transmissions with paddle shifters? I'm not an engineer, but I think it depends on the design of that transmission. Or if the engineers just want it to sound cool and more sporty!

 

Well, it really depends on how you use a car. I'm sure Jaguar calculated, very correctly, that most XJ owners would be looking for a comfortable luxurious drive and would not care about these sort of sporting features.

Nevertheless, it does make a huge difference whether your manually-controlled automatic transmission blips ("rev matches") downshifts. I am not referring to double-clutching here. Without the blipping, the downshift will either be very slow, or will cause sudden lurching as excessive engine braking occurs as the engine RPMs gradually increase to the match the wheel speed, as it were. In a manual car, that would be like shifting from 3rd to 2nd without using the gas pedal and just dumping the clutch (or slowly releasing it). Not very sporty and could cause instability if you were downshifting under hard braking or in a curve, etc. Plus as you say, the blipping "sounds cool"!

I think I will have to go for a Supersport-L or XJR-L, but it seems like a lot of extra money to spend for just one feature.

 

You can see a good example of a paddle-shift automatic in manual operation here:


At 0:24 or so, the driver commands a downshift, and the car responds by blipping the throttle, making a smooth and quick downshift!

Works very similar in the F-Type, X150 XK/XKR, XF, X351 XJR and Supersport, and presumably the upcoming XE.

 

These are very good questions and ones that I've asked several times.

I don't think anyone KNOWS the answers for sure. I've even asked the service manager at Jag and he shrugged his shoulders. Even the manual is vague as to exactly what happens in each mode, let alone what happens when both are engaged together.

I have a supercharged and what I personally do is always drive in Dynamic mode but not Sport mode for daily driving. The reason is Dynamic Mode provides the tight crisp feel I'm after without the extra wear/tear, mileage loss, associated with the high rev driving in Sport mode. Now if say a Mustang or Challenger comes along trying me and I'm in the mood to let kitty bite, I'll launch into beast mode and enable sport as well as turn off the tracking, go to manual shift and fully engage.

For daily driving tough, Dynamic mode is just enough to allow the XJ to feel sporty and aggressive without sacrificing gas mileage.

You can easily test the difference on the freeway by driving at a set speed, say 60 mph, and shift in and out of Sport and then alternately shifting in and out of Dynamic. You'll see that the rpm's will raise by maybe 2000 when engaging Sport, but will barely register when engaging Dynamic. This leads me to conclude that Sport mode focusses on shift points, whereas Dynamic mode focusses on the feel of the drive, adjusting the car in the areas other than engine rev. I also think one of the modes turns off the rev limiter, logically Sport mode due to it's association with engine revs but can't say for certain this is accurate.

 

In my 2011 XJL naturally aspirated (non-supercharged) 5.0 L V8 I can access manual the gearbox paddles when in transmission selector is in the normal "Drive" mode. Unfortunately I've done this repeatedly by accidentally tripping the "paddle" on the steering wheel (not that hard to do). Frankly I wish I had the option of having the paddle shift option available only when in the "S" transmission selection.

 

Hi John, I have the same vehicle as you, but I have not tried to go through the vehicle settings menu as was suggested in one of the above posts. If you enter the vehicle settings menu as shown in the above photos, do you have a gearbox paddles setting option as captured in the photo posted by Stuart S? Honestly, I need to be less lazy and just go try it myself, but if it's there, it could be the solution to your problem. Granted, his car is a couple years newer, etc, so who knows if we have it.

 

Thanks for the suggestion, but unfortunately this option is not available on my 2011. I wish it were.

 

The dealer service department can reprogram the behaviour so that the "paddle shifters" are only active in sport mode. I had this changed at the dealer on my 2012. In 2013 this became a configurable option as shown in the post by Stuart.

 

Hi

I have the 5.0L petrol 2010 model. My paddle shift works both in drive and sport mode.

I usually driive with the car just all set to normal. If on the motorway or want to shoot off fast at the lights I'll use the dynamic and maybe the paddle if needed It's very rare I use the sports mode but the car iis really something else when set in dynamic and sports mode.

My car doesn't seem to have the option to disable the paddle in Drive mode but it's a great idea because if someone else drives your car you don't have worry about them accidentally touching the paddle and then they end up driving in second gear not realising

 

(Recoils at the idea of anyone else driving my 5.0 if only I had one!!)