4.8is sport mode question

[4.8isX5]

Intresting question for you guys here,

I usually drive it in D or Manual mode, only have really used sport sometimes thru twisties and right before i pass someone slap it in s and foot to floor.

Now ive tried it driving around today etc, keeping it in S.

The most obvious things are the agressive shift points, touchier pedal and downshifts,

Ive also read it changes up the steering a little as we have active steering (at least i know the 4.8 does,

But driving around i was messingb around by putting it in S for a few sec then D, and it feels like the suspension dampening stiffen up as well,
I did some searches but came up with nothing, i did this on a long strech of road with imperfections and it really felt smoothed out in D, and tightend up in S.

I know my buddies e70 has the sport button for suspension and it stiffens dampening, but i swear i noticed it on mine as well i just want to see if it actually does or its in the head.

I do feel the steering input change as well as all the orher trans/pedal etc i said above.

[tmv]

When I drive the iS, usually have my wife with me. She enjoys the smooth drive more than a "touchy" feeling of the tranny in S mode. I'll try it out and see.

[4.8isX5]

S mode is fine, just that it holds the first gear long,

i was getting at does the car actually stiffen up the suspension mainly since i didnt find any info on it, but i swear i really do feel a difference.

[tmv]

S mode with the Dinan software made it jump with a feather touch on the gas pedal

[racingbmwm3]

E53 never had an 'active' suspension that I know of. E70 was the first (SAV) with it.

Since you have air ride on all 4, I know your vehicle lowers itself at higher speeds, but I can't remember if putting it in sport mode also lowers it...

And the 4.6is also has the servotronic steering standard, all others available as option. I don't think that is affected by sport mode either.

[4.8isX5]

@racingbmw

The steering supposedly is, i know ive read it somewhere,

And i swear i feel it, im not sure it drops though, im pretty low as it is. At least on mine it doesnt, maybe something with parameters, im sure if its still at stock height it would lower more at speed.

[racingbmwm3]

I was still a BMW tech when the E70 debuted, and one of the big things we were all excited about was the active suspension, as that was only on the 7 series and M6 previously.
I'd have to go dig around my garage looking for my training manuals to see if the EHC received an input from the transmission to change ride height based on shift mode, but I don't think so. Same with the steering, its also just speed sensitive. But, its also been 10 years since I had my training on the E53, and 6 years since I have 'professionally' turned wrenches, so I'm willing to be wrong on these last two points.

[Qsilver7]

Ditto what the others said above. STEPTRONIC in our generation of BMWs (e38/e39/e46/e53) isn't connected to the suspension.

If you have the SPORT button (e39 M5)...that button affects the suspension. Or the EDC button (electronic damping control)...that is an automatic damping system that will automatically adjust from soft/med/hard (comfort-to sport) mode based on the data being sent to the EDC control module by the various acceleration sensors around the vehicle. The E53 doesn't have EDC...so again, not sure how the suspension would adjust it's damping parameters except for some type of technology with the air suspension system that automatically lowers/raises the vehicle based on speed.

E39 SPORT button and E38 S-EDC button (see switch panel)

As far as I know...the e53 wasn't offered with adaptive suspension technology that is like that on the newer X5 models. Please correct me if I'm wrong. If you do have adaptive drive...it would be listed on your build sheet...and would have a option code. Let us know what that option code is.

How STEPTRONIC works

[tmv]

This is what FULLY LOADED means.

[e30cabrio]

Always a wealth of info!


Thanks.