I am 800+ miles into breaking in my MCS and turned on my sport button today. whoooaaa!!! what a difference. seriously the car drives like a whole different car, its crazy fast and responsive. much much more than it was without the button pressed. i love it!!! it might be the best feature of the R56!! my 2004 MCS could have used a button like this. i find the car with sport "off" drives like my 2004 MCS, but with it on it drives more like my former audi TT or dare i say close to my former nissan 350Z.

 

The sport button is your friend!!!

 

not that im suggesting it, but this could easily be an option that people would pay for. in fact i would pay $500 if that was the only way to get this option. its that good!!

 

I agree. I'm hoping to save Sport Mode for the weekend and do w/o during my short commutes during the week. We'll see how that goes!

 

It really changes the steering play for me, not just the throttle responsiveness. I'd surely pay for it as an option.

 

SHHHHHH!!! Don't give them any ideas!

 

Will it drop the fuel mileage? To be able to claim 36mpg, they have to make it a standard feature that could be turned on and off...

 

I'm not real clear, should I use the sport button early during the break in period, or not?

 

I feel that it makes the shifting smoother 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd. Is it my imagination?

 

Maltese,

My MA told me to "just drive the car" during the break-in. He said the only thing you defnitely don't want to do is use the cruise control and let it sit at a certain number of RPMs for an extended period.

I told him I went over 4500 the day after I got the car and he said, "Don't worry about it. Really... just drive the car. The ones who baby it and have some scheme as to the perfect way to break the car in are the ones who tend to have more of the problems. It's a performance car. Treat it as such."

I like my MA.

 

It is fine to use the sport button during break-in, I've been using mine since day one. (Dealer said it was fine too) Here is what I think it does...

The obvious bits
- changes steering ratio to make the steering feel more responsive
- Improves throttle response with changes to turbo, reaction to pedal position, etc
- Greatly improves acceleration in first gear from a dead stop
- Engine winds up faster and more freely
- Changes ASC (not as obvious, but I feel like the ASC effects are reduced in sport mode, allowing a little wheel spin, vs none)

Not so obvious
- Selects sport fuel map (I am truly guessing on this one, but throughout the rpm range the engine definitely runs differently in sport mode, so it seems reasonable)
- changes variable valve timing to more aggressive settings (see above)

The overall effect... yeah, it is cool. One caviet... you really, really need the highest octane fuel you can find, especially in hot, humid climates. If I am right about the fuel map selection, the sporty, more aggressive maps definitely will make the engine ping with cheap, lower octane (less than 92) fuel.

Enjoy the sport button, it is great, great fun!

 

I drive mostly L.A. city traffic, and have been getting about 28-29 mpg (computer's reading) in my MCS six speed, always using the Sport button. I decided I'd try driving a full tank of gas without the button to see how the gas mileage changes, but after two days I'm already starting to go through "Sport Button Withdrawal." It's just WAY too much fun with it on.

 

Does it tighten up the suspension?

 

No, doesn't affect the suspension at all, just throttle and steering.

 

Here is what I understand the sport button does on manual cars.

For both throttle curves, points zero and 100 % are the same but sport mode moves the other points on the curve closer to zero, hence the car feels faster with less of your right foot. There are no BMW claims or timed tests to prove it does anything to the engine power etc.

With the steering it increases the weight at speed and maybe the ratio though I have seen no tests to show the ratio is changed. I think MINI just refers to it as feel.

 

I just reached the break-in point on my new R56 and that sport button is staring at me right in my face...was just wondering if it's OK to use it with the auto transmission...or is it only for manuals...any info appreciated!

 

I can't believe you waited 800 miles to test that button. I hit it on the drive home from the dealership as I was having a hard time launching the car from a stop in first gear! Now that I am used to the car, I have no problems at launch, but it certainly is easier with the sport button on.

Contrary to some of the posts on this thread, I think the only thing the button does is alter the rate the throttle opens on the motor relative to the percent you press on the gas pedal. This makes the car FEEL faster, but not actually faster. I have played around with the steering and don't notice a difference in wheel-feel, but this was on the road and not on a slalom course or anything like that.

 

Do you think this could lead to lesser fuel-use economy? Given the famous egg-under-the-pedal approach to economy driving, non-sport might yield slightly better mpg than sport?

 

I think you get more precise throttling with the non-sport mode. I think a milage "eggspert" would prefer it and be able to do a bit better with it.

 

i did wait. there are another 199,000 miles left to use the sport button and launch the car from a stop. i like to break in according to BMW. also the sport button really tightens the steering. the change is very dramatic.

 

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You're right. MINI has never said anything about not using the sport button during break in. I don't know how people have gotten this idea in their heads that you shouldn't use it. I have an automatic and my MA had me use the sport button the first day. I even questioned him about it. YOU CAN USE YOUR SPORT BUTTON FROM DAY ONE FOR AUTOMATICS AND MANUALS! Sorry for yelling, but I've posted this on many threads...I got a little carried away this time. It's okay to use your sport button when you drive home from picking up your MINI.

 

Yep, that's what my MA told me too. As a matter of fact, if it wasn't for the 'Sport' button

 

I guess those not using "sport mode" (who, btw, obviously have supreme self-control) can now hit that button!!!!!

I confess I worry about wearing the label off that button, given the number of times I plan to "engage!!!" That would look tacky....any ideas???

 

I specifically asked my MA when I took delivery and he said to use it as soon as I drove off if I liked so no probs w/ break-in.