I have had my Mini S for about a month now and noticed something odd. For the first tank, I drove almost exclusively with the sport button on (mostly because of stalling problems as I got use to the non-sport mode unresponsive gas pedal). For the second tank, I switched and drove with the sport button off. Both tanks were on my same commute route with no other significant differences that I know of. To my suprise, my first tank netted me with 31.9 mpg. My second tank came in at 29.5 mpg. Could it be that the sport mode actually saves gas given that you get up to cruising speed faster? Another explanation may be that to compensate for the stalling problems, I am laying on the gas more at startups in non-sport mode. Regardless, sport mode is now my regular mode of travel. Any thoughts? By the way, here are a few pictures of Eli.

Chili Red, DSC, LSD, Sports Suspention, Fogs, Cloaking Device.

 

Congrats on the car .. for me gas run faster if the sport button is on.. mmm

 

Nice looking MINI.

Any difference in outside temperatures during those two periods? Could you have been using the air-conditioning more during the second month? Think about any other variables that might have had an effect. Were you carrying a 300 lb. crate of dead mackerel during the second month? Have you put on a lot of weight since you now drive the MINI everywhere, and no longer walk? Have your tires lost pressure? Are you using a different brand of gas? Got to eliminate the variables.

Otherwise, I could see how a good driver could do just as well (mpg-wise) with the Sport button as without. If you are smooth with the throttle, and drive in a gas-efficient manner, I don't see why you wouldn't get good mileage in Sport mode.

It is my suspicion that the non-sport throttle algorithm is designed to smooth out the erratic foot. Ever ridden with someone who maintains a constant speed by slightly accelerating, then decelerating, accelerating, decelerating, etc.? The non-sport may smooth that kind of thing out.

Most people will get poorer mileage with the Sport button because it causes a chemical reaction in their blood and they change from Dr. Jekyll to Nigel Mansell.

 

The more quickly you get into a higher gear the more you can use a higher gear and the better gas milage you will get.

If you wind the low gears out, you'll get lower milage regardless of the sport mode setting.

 

Also important to note that the computer is not really any more accurate than it was on the R53. Mine regularly reads ~6 mpg optimistic (35mpg on computer is closer to 29mpg when calculated). My belief is that sport off should net slightly better mileage, as the main difference with it off is that it modulates the throttle more gradually, as Robin points out above.

 

I have my sport button modded to come on automaticly...Hmmm...I'm starting to sound redundant with that statement, but anyway, on a round trip to Seattle I averaged 38mpg between Freeway and some stop and go. Not bad for an S. I just prefer driving the car this way, so now that I'm used to it I dont' think gas mileage really suffers.