Pardon the newbieness of this question, but when people say they are putting the Mini in sports mode, do they mean switching the drive mode from normal to sport, or do they mean moving the automatic transmission lever to the left from "D" to "S"

Thanks

 

If you push the sport button it changes several different things about the behavior including shift points, steering weight and throttle response. If you go to S mode on the shift lever then I think that only changes the shift points but not the other things. I could be wrong but this is what I found after a quick search

 

Generally I think people are referring to drive mode when saying sport mode.

 

I always drive with the transmission in “S” mode both for the fun of manual shifting when I feel like it, but also to keep the rpms up in a little bit more of a “ready to rock” state, it’s more responsive in my opinion and just makes driving it better. I hate lugging.
the actual sport button is usually what most people refer to. As mentioned above by MinnietheMoocher the button does even more, increase throttle response, steering, brakes, all more sensitive, plus the pops and burbles! If you have the active sport suspension it is supposed to stiffen them up as well.
It’s the “FUN” button