E36 316 auto question

[T_Pot]

Hi,

Picked up a cheap school run car for the wife, an L plate 316i auto.
There is a sliding switch near the gear stick marked as
S (forward slide)& M (rear slide)with a button in the middle marked E?
what do these settings change or stand for ?

[TheEnd]

e is the normal economy, s it sport which holds it in gear longer, and m was usually manual.

in M mode, whatever you pull the stick to, the car will stay in, you you can lock it into 3rd gear for example.

otherwise, the stick position in the other modes sets an upper limit, ie e mode and 2 on the stick will be 1st and 2nd only