I'm pretty dumb ! Explain the advantage of "Sports Mode"
Discussion
I have a 2000 model XJ8 and for the first time last week I used the Sports Mode and while the car seemed to have more power and be more responsive, I must admit I don't fully understand its use. When would I use it ? Does it use more petrol ? Would I use it all the time as I only drive in the country and never in peak hourcity traffic. Help !!!!
My two previous cars (Daimler and Saab) both had sport mode, as does my wife's Saab. I've always found sport mode good for making progress on bendy roads as you tend to run in a lower gear and not get change-ups in the wrong places. I didn't use it on A roads or better. Current car has Tiptronic which is different
To answer Colin's question I think you would want to use sport mode just because its more fun than normal mode (for some people anyway). And yes, its fine to drive with it on all the time.
My XJR is in normal mode for all of the working week, but when the weekend comes then, its sport time!!
My XJR is in normal mode for all of the working week, but when the weekend comes then, its sport time!!
I remember reading a review of Bentley once, one of the real ones with a V8 rather than a VW one, where they discussed things like the torque curve and the sports mode. The review concluded at in this particular case, the only reason for using the sports mode was if you wanted to make more noise.Thanks to everyone who has responded to my question. I think I now have a clearer picture of wheb I might use it and in my case not often as all my running is done on dead flat straight roads, but for a bit more fun I might use it sometimes because the car certainly responds better. Must see if I can find bends in hilly country !!
I may be wrong here (almost certainly), but doesn't sport mode on the 2000 model cars prevent the gearbox going into direct drive when cruising on the motorway. Or was that the old XJ40 sov I used to have, possibly? 
The 2003-on model sport mode definitely allows the gearbox to go into direct drive gear after a few seconds of not accelerating. However, I seem to recall that on my old 1998 XJR it would not allow the box to do this whilst in sport mode, I think I used to have to switch back to non-sport for the gearbox to lock up into direct. This could affect you MPG if you do a lot of motorway cruising, if I'm right. (Not likely)
For me, I've only very rarely bothered using sport mode, even when hustling along, not really needed and just makes the car gearbox jerk around through various gears, not smooth.
In fact I've used it very rarely since a traffic light get away in my old 2003 XJR when I turned on sport and turned off traction control. Ended up making little progress whilst producing enough smoke to totally obscure the whole traffic light junction across a dual carriageway.
The 2003-on model sport mode definitely allows the gearbox to go into direct drive gear after a few seconds of not accelerating. However, I seem to recall that on my old 1998 XJR it would not allow the box to do this whilst in sport mode, I think I used to have to switch back to non-sport for the gearbox to lock up into direct. This could affect you MPG if you do a lot of motorway cruising, if I'm right. (Not likely)
For me, I've only very rarely bothered using sport mode, even when hustling along, not really needed and just makes the car gearbox jerk around through various gears, not smooth.
In fact I've used it very rarely since a traffic light get away in my old 2003 XJR when I turned on sport and turned off traction control. Ended up making little progress whilst producing enough smoke to totally obscure the whole traffic light junction across a dual carriageway.
chris.mapey said:
It changes the throttle map, so the pedal is "more responsive" & it also enables the use of 1st gear (normally car starts in 2nd gear)
Well i did wonder when 1st came into play, trouble is now, i can see i shall have to order some tyres.never thought to ask NormanD. happy days. Gassing Station | Jaguar | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff