Don't leave on my account LynnEl, I'm always in the mood for some good sarcastic humor. I think that comes from growing up as the youngest of 3 brothers. Not only did you have to take it but you also had to be able to serve a good diss (i mean dish)

 

So, are you saying yours came w/o the sport button, too?

 

going there today raise some hell...will report back later...thanks for the support guys....even you LynnEl...sorry for being "pissy". I am normally crazy and fun, but I have had so many problems with my mini, this was just the last straw.

wish me luck!

 

dchautin, just get with Brian Harris, they have been good to me with any questions. Let us know how it goes...

 

I'm gonna' go ahead and quote this one for posterity.

Go in the afternoon sometime. I may have to listen in.

 

No, sorry, I was being a clown. Mine came with the sport button and it does work.

 

Ok, here's what the tech told me. He said he had the regional expert or rep. for the southeast bmw and mini dealers in there on Monday. He asked him about the sport button. He said mine was one of the first 200 mini's produced for 07 and they do not have a sport button. He said for those, when you move the automatic shifter over to the left, it automatically goes into sport mode. The tech said he would test this when my car is finished with the other stuff he is fixing (thermostat and windows)

How many of you buy this? what should I do...

Meanwhile..Mini USA Emailed me...see below:

Hi David,

Thanks for writing MINI. We appreciate your inquiry.

Please respond with your VIN and I would be happy to check the production time frame, and what was standard for your vehicle. Standard options can and will vary depending on your production period.

I look forward to your response. If there are further questions I can assist with, please feel free to drop me an e-mail. I would be happy to lend a hand.

LET'S MOTOR.
Bethany Sims
MINI Customer Relations and Services
Representative
866.ASK.MINI (866.275.6464)

 

Try it and see. You will definitely notice the difference, if it is there.

 

Even on the later models you can do that with the shifter to go into Sport mode without hitting the actual button. It means you have to manually shift though. Unless yours is wired differently. Which apparently it is!

 

 

I still have not quite figured out the whole sport thing...

yes there is a button.. and yes I get much better throttle response.. the shift pattern changes and my Cooper Clubman.. just flies!!...

and there is putting the auto trans into "manual" mode.. it lights up the sport setting.. but I think I get slightly different response from the car.. but I don't know for sure.

The dealer seems to think that the button and the shifter do slightly different setups.. but I cant get a real answer..


All I know is that with the sport mode turned on.. I don't need an S...

 

In most BMW vehicles, at least in my 07 X5, shifting the lever to the left side does put the car in the Sport Mode with DS showing on the screen. I believe R56 AUTO's have the BMW Steptronic Auto Trans which is similar to that in the X5 and 5 Series as well as other BMW cars. Once in the Sport Mode, you can drive it in Sport with Automatic Shifting or manually shift the gears if you so desire. So the first few MINI R56 vehicles in production may actually have been built this way before a separate SPORT button was added for whatever reason.

The separate SPORT button on BMW vehicles, like the X5 and the others affect the suspension settings if the vehicle has SPORT SUSPENSION and are only available with that option as well. It is also possible that the MINI SPORT BUTTON was originally intended for suspension adjustments that were never really added due to cost, so it was basically wired to just modify throttle and steering sensors at this time.

Just a thought. Maybe someone can chime in here.

 

Hi David,

Thanks for your reply. I am still researching your inquiry. As soon as I have more information, I will be in touch with you. Thank you for your patience in the interim.

If there are further questions I can assist with, please feel free to drop me an e-mail. I would be happy to lend a hand.

LET'S MOTOR.
Bethany Sims
MINI Customer Relations and Services
Representative
866.ASK.MINI (866.275.6464)

 

Definitely sounds like an auto-generated (or, at least, boilplate) email.

 

What did the tech say??

 

Ok, here's what the tech told me. He said he had the regional expert or rep. for the southeast bmw and mini dealers in there on Monday. He asked him about the sport button. He said mine was one of the first 200 mini's produced for 07 and they do not have a sport button. He said for those, when you move the automatic shifter over to the left, it automatically goes into sport mode. The tech said he would test this when my car is finished with the other stuff he is fixing (thermostat and windows)

 

Be happy they could have hidden it worse if it does turn out to be something you do with the shifter...

In my Cayenne, when you turn of the stability control it goes into sport mode... The throttle remaps, the shift points change, suspension firms up and stuff. I thought about putting a label called RACE or Track on the button, but then again it's a truck not a Ferrari...

I only found out by accident when trying to autocross it...

 

!!!!!!!!

What class does a Cayenne wind up in?

 

Right...he hasn't had a chance to test it yet? Just curious. If you can get in sport mode that way, that'd be kinda cool. Sometimes it's hard to see the little LED on the little button waaaayy down there by the shifter....they put a supplemental readout in the tach on later builds. Hope to hear more later and hope the news is good!!

 

Boilerplate

 

IF you determine you can enter sport mode with a touch of the shifter, I'd say that puts you to the lead of the "coolness" contingent. One of the 1st 200, with a unique and rare "feature". So long as it works and you can use it, I say all is good.

 

+1

 

I have a R56 MCS auto and it can go into sport mode via shifter and/or sport button, but the sport button also tightens the steering and throttle response. With just the shifter the MINI will shift at higher RPMs than normal, but not as high as with the sport button.

 

I think we automatic owners have 2 sport "modes"

 

The MINI has 3 types of modes: I think
Normal
Sport
Hyper Sport (As I like to call it)
I have a 2004 cooper auto and it also has the sport mode.