Hi everyone,

This is my first post here. I have been referring to NAM posts for almost 2 years..it is one of the best places to derive information for minis.

I have a couple of questions wrt to my mini cooper 2007

What is the difference in the system configuration when you hit the Sport switch? I notice some differences but would like to know if there is a concise list of things that change..

Also, I noticed people talk about Torque Steer..could some one please shed some light on this one? is this something related to the electronic power steering?

Thanks

 

Sport gives you a heavier steering (artificially), and better pedal response (no delay when depressing the accelerator)

The torque steer is just due to the amount of power is being delivered to the front wheels, which also does the steering as opposed to fixed rear wheels... maybe search on mr. Clarkson explaining torque steer.
I have a 2009 MCS with DTC and it does try to pull the front wheel to the right or left under hard acceleration in First... especially when you get to 4 and after... it comes as a surprise at first, but it is easily controlled... I have not tried it with the EDLC on (electronic Differential Lock Csomething)

Torque can also happens when you accelerate out of a turn.. but thats where the DTC/EDLC/LSD helps controlling the power by so you don't go wide.


well this is my understanding

 

I would say the delay is just reduced. It is still nothing like having a good 'ole mechanical throttle. God I miss that!

Also, I would recommend any hard driving R56 owner buy a NM Engineering polyurethane lower engine mount. The company BSH is also doing something similar. It greatly reduces torque steer and engine movement during hard acceleration, especially when shifting up through the gears.

 

My experience is that sport makes a noticeable feeling difference. If you are accelerating hard and hit that button the car seems to jump. Torque steer seems to get significantly worse also. I wouldn't recommend pressing sport in the middle of a maneuver unless you are pretty confident about your ability and not in traffic.
Anyway my experience.

 

I think the 'jump' you feel is a downshift. Since the sport mode holds off shifting longer when compared to normal mode, the system almost always down shifts immediately when sport mode is selected. It goes to the gear it would have been in if you had been in sport mode from the start.

I like that sport mode can be switched on by moving the gear shift lever to the left as opposed to reaching and hunting for the button. Not sure if that is the same on older models?

 

I have the auto-on-sport button mod. I would not drive my JCW with it off. It feels like a totally different car with it off. This is on a manual transmission. Its not as noticeable on an automatic. And yes I have driven all late model MINIs to be able to say this.

 

Sport mode also changes the throttle position mapping, making the throttle respond to your foot much quicker -- one of the benefits of drive-by-wire. I don't know what the exact difference is, but if you're at, say, 1/4 pedal in normal mode then hit the Sport button, it's like you've suddenly pushed it to 1/2 pedal, except your foot never moved. That will make it feel like you've got a burst of power, when all it's done is open up the throttle. This is why going from sport back to normal mode makes the car feel sluggish.

Sport mode also 'tightens' the steering, making it feel more direct. I think it does this simply by reducing the amount of power assist.

If you have an automagic, sport mode changes the shift points to higher RPMs, and it will also downshift sooner in response to throttle input than in normal mode. Lotsa fun stuff.

 

I was not a big fan of sport mode in the beginning, but now I got used to it. I drive sport mode-on all the time. Shifting is much more easier with sport mode. Especially, when you first accelerate from a full stop, it is easier to adjust the gas pedal pressure that you apply.

 

Thank you for your replies. I did not know that mini's had drive by wire. All your thought were a great read! Thanks again.

 

I wish there was a way to get Sport mode in the auto without it remapping shift points - it won't shift into 6th automatically at legal (or even close to legal) highway speeds. This means if I want the better throttle response and tighter steering, I have to use full manual mode to get 6th gear.

 

Yeah some of those shift points are pretty dramatic, especially when downshifting.

 

+1. I love using Sport mode, but I don't always want to be in a lower gear. This is just another reason why I should have gotten a manual. I just really like the faster gas pedal reaction and stiffer steering.

On the occasion when I want to be in a lower gear (i.e. hills or two lane road passing) I will move the gear selector to the left into "D/S" mode. This only changes the shift points, seems to switch faster, doesn't involve reaching for the Sport button, and gives the feel of "manually downshifting" .

 

The EDLC is always on (unless you push and hold the DTC button)
The only thing it does is applies the brake on the spinning wheel enough to give the power to the other wheel.

 

buy a velocity booster

 

ready to be bashed but I think 'sport mode' is wasteless bling.

I can't remember the last time I turned to it. To those who say they use it all the time - FINE - why wasn't the car built that way? I can adjust my driving habits to fit the car....having more than one 'sport' car in the garage requires it. I'm not sure I think changing the steering habits of a vehicle is even a good idea!

Paying for electronic bling is not something I want in what I hope is a lower cost, bare bones, driver's car..... ala the original Miata ... or a "classic" Mini

 

I don't know if I've ever turned mine on.

 

I have a 6 speed manual that I bought used. I'm not a "hard driver" and would never have ordered a new one with the Sport option. After reading this thread I decided to drive around town today with the Sport button engaged. Not a tremendous difference, but I like it. My question is, are there any advantages/disadvantages in driving in the Sport mode while driving on highways.

 

This is like one of these things in life if you don't get it... you just don't get it.

There is a huge, huge, huge difference on a manual transmission MINI with and without the sport button engaged.

This is like the discussion on a sunroof you either want one or ya don't.

I do not like the way the car drives with the sport button off. That is why I installed an auto-on sport button. That way its always on when I start the car. Nothing to remember.

 

I have a "justa" and drive with the sport button in the ON position 95% of the time and spend at least 90% of the time in MANUAL mode with my automatic transmission. This is most noticeable with the base Cooper in spirited driving which I do 75% of the time. Maybe the extra HP and torque of the "S" types make the difference in power less noticeable, I don't know. But my feeling is like having an extra 25 horses in sport mode and I seldom lose a stoplight grand prix when I shift into M1 for launch rather than the M2 the automatic selects on it's on when stopping.

 

+2 My wife complains that her 07 MC automatic is not as much fun to drive as her 05 MC CVT and I've finally realized that it's because the default throttle and steering mapping on her 07 is "non-sporty" compared to her 05. She doesn't use the sport button because the automatic transmission shifting in sport mode is far too aggressive for her.

I wish a vendor would make a module that would enable putting the steering and throttle mapping into sport mode but leave the automatic transmission in regular mode.

 

That's exactly why I got a sprintbooster for my auto non-S. That way you get a fun throttle map and normal shifting points. Also even more fun in manual sport mode.

 

Sport mode is engaged by a digital input into the ECU, and all aspects of the Sport mode are engaged, or none are. To do part of the Sport Mode requires a hack of the ECU.

All the Auto Sport Mode mods (including mine, the Auto Sportplus) just mimic the button press that one can do manually. But like a previous poster noted, a lot of this is personal preference, and there are lots of options about how to do it. Sprint Booster/Velocity Booster products work on the eGas peddle, and only effect effective throttle response. The Sport button mods automate sport button operation, so you get the steering feel changes and shift point modification as per MINI programming with it as well. Personally, I think the 6th speed lock-out is just dumb, but MINI didn't ask me. Oh well, if they had, the auto drivers would get the benefit of the Sport Mode without having to give up 6th gear gas mileage improvements for freeway cruising.

Matt

 

You're 100% correct. It's one of the dopiest features some marketing idiot ever dreamed up.

First of all, the steering is too numb IN SPORT MODE! This car practically begs for a manual steering rack. It's too small and light for power steering, especially overboosted, numb, electric power steering. All the "sport" mode does is make a crappy-feeling setup slightly less so. In non-sport mode, it steers like your granpa's '77 Buick. In sport mode, more like dad's '91 El Dorado. Either way - it sucks. It only needs one mode, period, hopefully something better than what we have now someday. Steering, ride quality and handling have clearly NOT been hit by the BMW stick (BMW owners know exactly what I mean).

As for the throttle mapping change in sport mode - more BS! It's nothing more than a change in how far and how fast you need to move your right foot to achieve the same results. That's it. You adjust to whichever mode it's in pretty quickly and subconsciously. In non-sport mode, throttle response sucks unless you stand on the gas pretty quickly. In sport mode, it feels "about right", though a nice non-drive by wire setup would be much better.

 

I agree, in my MC, I've used it once. Didn't find it to be of much use in the Justa Cooper, manual transmission. My foot responds the way it needs to for the acceleration I want.

 

Lol... I can't even drive the car in normal mode now. With The AutoSport+ installed, you just get used to throttle and clutch balance. When I turn off sport mode, and then have to take off from a stop sign, I almost stall the car. it need so much more throttle...


Now if someone could figure out how to keep the throttle mapping, and turn off the steering...


And to those that say, you can get used to the non sport mode... I say, well, I can get used to being covered with crap too, but I don't want too...