I've been keeping the Jag in sport mode setting at all times. What's the consensus out there? Are most folks doing the same? Any issues. Thanks!

 

When I first got the car I kept it in sport mode all the time but it never really felt sporty at all. So as a comparison I took it off "sportless" mode and couldn't really tell any difference. Of course I drive the car rather gently and that is probably part of the story. On the other hand our other car (2012 Acura TL) feels like a different car in sport mode even with my gentle style of driving. Ditto for other cars I have driven that have sport mode settings. Presumably what the so-called sport mode provides on the XK8/XKR is delay of the up-shift points under hard acceleration and that is about it.

Doug

 

The only time I find myself in normal is after the wife has driven and she takes it out of sport mode. Sport mode clearly changes the upshift points and seems to go into "hyperdrive" with less throttle pressure. I'm sure some of the experts can tell us exactly what the sport mode does.

 

Sport mode changes the shift points. Allows the engine to rev higher before shifting and activates the kick down with lower peddle pressure. I usually leave mine in normal mode unless I am passing or find a particularly interesting back road. I don't think it makes much difference tooling around town.

 

The only significant difference I've noticed is an increase in fuel consumption when driving in Sport mode. Granted, it is my wife's car and I rarely drive it....

 

Yep, it seems to me that it only extends the shift points to a higher rpm when you are driving it somewhat aggressively. If you are driving it pretty moderately, it doesn't really do much at all. That is why I leave mine in Sport mode all of the time, in case I want to pass someone or maneuver in traffic it is there at the ready, otherwise, it seems that there is little difference between the two.

 

Also from a stop the car will usually start in 2nd for a smoother ride but when it's in Sports mode it will use the 1st gear.

 

If it's the ZF that's also in the S-Type then it learns how you actually behave. If you want Sport to be different, drive differently when in Sport. I only engage it when about to do something requiring more spirit and it's learned that.

 

It's been a while since I looked but I've never seen comparative performance figures in any of the road tests for Normal versus Sport Mode.

Graham

 

I know the X308 is not the same car but same ZF auto. Mine car feels "dead" in normal it is always in so called Sport mode.
It is far more responsive in sport but does any-one know if sport mode turns off traction/stability?

The car "stepped out" on a wet road at 110KPH (65MPHish) going around a corner/accelerating out of a corner. Reduced confidence a bit. I did use normal for the rest of the drive home.

 

Although I can't find any direct reference to Sport Mode being linked to ASC/TRAC, both the X308 and XK8 handbooks advise 'upshifts will be inhibited when cornering at high speed'.

This inhibit has to be a function of steering wheel angle and throttle position and therefore using two of the same inputs as ASC.

Graham

 

The STR also uses the accelerometers to inhibit shifts.

No, Sport does not turn off TC/DSC, at least not on the S-Type and it would be bizarre to turn it off on any model.

 

If I'm stopped, and press the Sport button you can hear something change.

Mine launches off the line significantly stronger, and I've tested it both ways.

Also, first gear max thrust from 1500 rpm to 5000 rpm is something I do all the time as the torque is simply too much fun not to use all the time. Muscle-cars and sports cars beware :-)

 

I have listened and felt for anything to change when pushing the Sport mode button on and off and can detect nothing. Are you sure you are not experiencing some placebo effect like when after washing the car it always seems to be faster, etc?

Doug

 

I have two cars, sport mode and not. Not is somewhat of a pig; sport is what I expect out of this car. Not a placibo effect.

I'll be away a couple weeks, but will compare 0-60 times when I get back.

 

Keep in mind that the 02 and older cars use the Mercedes 5spd and the 03+ cars use the ZF 6 spd. I do believe that for the Mercedes box, that it starts in 2nd gear unless sport is used, so that might be the difference that can be felt.

For the ZF, all I've noticed is that it holds gears longer. If you accelerate like a fool (hooligan?) and you get out of the throttle, it will hold gears for quite a while expecting you to resume your foolery (hooliganery?).

 

Maybe that is why some people state they feel a big difference and others don't. I kept hearing that the car normally starts off in 2nd gear unless Sport mode is selected but that certainly does not seem the case for my car--it always feels the same from a dead start but that might be because I have the ZF. If it is true that the Merc trans starts in 2nd unless you hit Sport, then that would definitely be a difference you would notice.

In my wife's Acura TL, starting out in S instead of D is quite a dramatic difference. The pedal is hugely more responsive (even with my easy driving style) and the gears hold a long time between shifts. That car definitely feels like something more is going on in S than just extending shift points.

Doug

 

It learns. So if your car has not been driven like his in S then it won't do what his car does.

 

Mine car is certainly faster after a wash. I'm glad I chose a Black Jag as I don't need the extra speed of the Red ones.

 

I must be suffering the placebo effect - when I use sport there is not only the difference in change up points, but also I could swear the suspension feels firmer and the brakes sharper. There is less wallow, and more of a jolt going over bumps and it seems to be a bit flatter in the bends.

When I use normal mode I find it is constantly shifting up as high as it will go, and then has to keep kicking down when I want to accelerate. I seem to get less MPG in normal than sport so I leave that S button lit when I've got an open road, but put it back in normal when in traffic and I want the brake pedal less sharp.

Of course, all that could be a figment of my imagination......