Remember we are talking about a bunch of years and models here.

I went out to my 2004 XJ8 and pulled out the owners manual. It said that the Sport mode button just changes the shift points to get the full potential of the engine. No mention was made about the suspension. It also said that certain conditions like Cruise Control on will overide the Sport button. The DSC button seems to have more to do with what the suspension will do, but it doesn't change the ride.

THIS APPLIES TO MY YEAR AND MODEL, MAYBE YOURS IS DIFFERENT.

 

I pressed the sport button and installed a K&N filter. I put the sticker included on the window. My Jag now has 50 more HP due to the decal alone.

 

Hey, I'll buy that sticker from you... I could use that extra 50HP on one of my quads!

 

I glued on a hood scoop and spoiler and then painted racing stripes with spray paint - got 100hp more now!

Seriously though, the suspension has no perceptible difference with the sport button on or off so long as you drive the car with the same enthusiasm in both scenarios.

It does not seem any faster during WOT either, so the car does not actually go faster but it does respond to throttle-pedal increases quicker.

There does not seem to be much engine-breaking in the Jag in general, my last car increased the engine breaking quick noticeably when sport-mode was on - comparable to about half the drag of downshifting a gear - this car does not seem to engine-break or downshift to slow-down any differently with sport on or off, just noticeable under acceleration.

 

Sport mode is not aggressive enough. Sport mode should be 'normal' mode. Compared to BMWs shift program, sport mode on the X308 is a joke.

 

So? I made a body kit out of cardboard and got some pedal covers from Autozone. That added another 35hp.

 

hi stu i have a 2000 xkr with suspension fault problem .would you please send me the pdu user guide to help me diagnose the thing? thank you very very much , bill.

 

Ditto

 

I heard that the transmission generally launches in 2nd gear unless the sport button is engaged. True? This seems likely, as when sitting at a light and pushing the sport button on I have felt it engage a different gear, and it obviously launches a ton harder when in sport.

 

That's right! That is, if you have a 4.0L SC with the Mercedes gearbox. The Sport switch just makes 1st gear available for launch. When not in Sport, that box always starts in 2nd gear.


Cheers,

 

I just HATE it when my perfect theory tanks. I told my wife the Sport Mode changes the shift settings, the suspension and steering. Now I find I was 1/3rd correct. I use the SM when I drive in the mountains and obviously I am driving harder, so it makes sense the shocks firm up irrespective of the SM setting.

One thing I wondered is if there is any wear downside to using SM full time? I do like the responsiveness. Certainly, in the mountains, I don't want to be starting in second all the time and can't imagine it's good on the trans. However, in "normal" driving, perhaps there is less wear & tear?

 

I don't believe that you 01 Jaguar has CATS (adaptive damping) so no way to firm up as you drive harder.
Open the hood and look at the top of the shocks, do you have an electrical wire and connector pluged in?
If yes you have CATS, otherwise you don't

 

Why don't you believe that an 01 jag has cats ? My 2000 XJR does ?

 

Your car is ROW (Rest Of Word) specs, our cars are US specs and they are quite a lot of difference. My 01 XJR do not have CATS.

 

Argh, I'll have to look but I don't recall seeing any loom there. Geesh, don't tell my wife how clueless I was.

 

A clarification please. Only the supercharged models, with Mercedes-Benz transmission, start in second gear, is that correct?

The normally aspirated models start in first gear, is that correct?

And kudos for the reminder that models vary by market, as well as year.

 

You got it right. Mercedes box only

 

Well, that's confirmed. No wire there. Maybe that's a good thing.
So now I find the box starts in first regardless, since mine isn't an R.
My head hurts with how much I have to learn.

 

I've got one of each, and I prefer the sport mode of the XJ8 over the XJR for daily use.
In the 8, it raises the shift points, but not a huge amount, in other words, it's not a big difference, just an improvement.

In the XJR, I find the revs are too high in first gear for daily use, unless you want to really put your foot in it. As a result, I don't use Sport mode often in the R.

 

I thought the "S" button opened up the nitrous oxide injectors. That why I've been putting nitrous in that big white nitrous bottle under the hood. :^)