"SPORT" Button??
 

I have a 2008 X5 with the Sport Package. Does the "SPORT" button change the shift patterns?? Thanks....

It's supposed to make the shifts slightly more aggressive and mostly it firms up the Dynamic Drive suspension.

I may be wrong, but I thought the "Sport" button only affected the suspension. To change the transmission shift patterns, you need to put the transmission in "sport" mode by moving the transmission lever to the left.

:iagree:

For what it's worth on the M3 the sport button simply remaps the throttle position and makes it less sensitive. For example, without sport enabled you would need to floor the throttle to get full acceleration, however with sport button depressed when the throttle is half way pressed you are at WOT.

Of course this may be slightly different with the X5 but I am sure the throttle part would be similar.

It does seem to vary with model and year. I do know that the 2004 Z4 sport button did the more sensitive throttle, cut the steering boost a bit, and on auto versions put the transmission into sport mode shifting.

The X5 owner's manual reads like the button only affects the suspension, FWIW.

DSE pointed out that in another thread that the "sports button" does affect throttle input.

This might be what Noodle555 means by remapping in with the M3 sports button.

I've been testing this out for the past week. And the acceleration definitely does feel different between pressing and not pressing the button.

With the button NOT pressed, it feels like it takes more gas before responding. Thus it feels slightly slower, but definitely more comfortable accelerations when the car is loaded with passengers. There is less likely of the car jumping forward from a stop light.

With the button pressed, it feels more responsive.

Now the "DS Mode" by moving the shifter to the left is something else. Even more responsive than the sports button pressed and holds the gears longer.

I agree with mtech8 and Noodle555. The sport button affects only throttle response. My sales assoc. told me that it has nothing to do with the sport suspension - which is always in sport mode. Only the shifter can activate the sport transmission.

^ this needs further testing. The only difference I actually feel is the softer ride when going over rougher roads when the button is off. You can hear the suspension give a bit more too - it's a distinctive (not so attractive) sound - I only use it in some uneven city streets and notice/hear the difference right after pushing the button off. Don't feel a difference in throttle... will need to test that more.

That is not what the Owner's Manual says. Assuming you have adaptive drive, the manual says the sport button at the base of the shifter is for selecting two types of chassis and suspension tuning.

Page 99 of the 2009 owner's manual (might be a different page number on earlier manual versions, due to the addition of Diesel information in 2009)

Full speed. The sports button does affect suspension and throttle. But not the sports transmission. The button pressed definitely makes the suspension stiffer and the car more responsive and agile.

So...

Sport OFF - less jumpy off the line and a softer ride for the wife and kid?
Sport ON - when you are by yourself testing out the "driving machine" handling and performance?

I keep my sport button on all the time. All I notice is a stiffer ride and better handling. I feel nothing as far as throttle response.

Craig

That's pretty much the conclusion I've come up with.

But I must say. This might be only for the 4.8. As I went to test drive a 35d and I played with the sports button and didn't notice much in throttle difference (though I was quite distracted with the sales guy who kept talking and pressing the sports button off when I pushed it on).

With the 3.0, maybe it's not the case either as it sounds like the throttle response on it is slow to begin with. (From another post stating that you need to step on it half way before you really feel the car moving. That was something that put me off during my test drive of the 3.0)

This would make sense from all the conflicting posts.

^ well the slow response is the same initial lag that people with the 4.8 report. The same lag that other thread indicates other late models like the 5s have.

On another note, most other vehicles have an overdrive button, which saves fuel with taller gears. Usually it is kept on unless you want a more responsive, sportier throttle... basically the concept is opposite of what most of us want because our sport button is usually on. So I don't think an overdrive equivalent is what BMW had in mind when they put in the sport button and there are way too many conflicting opinions here (sport pkg = always on stiff suspension, throttle only, suspension only, etc.) to really conclude anything. I would tend to believe the manual in that case - the button is only available with sport pkg correct? Adaptive Drive - only tweaks the chassis & suspension:

http://img188.imageshack.us/img188/3728/sportmr.th.jpg

The initial lag as described above sounds very reminiscent of the lag reported by M3 drivers, myself included. FWIW, it is due to the drive by wire throttle. Usually occurs when coming to a rest and then sudden heavy throttle. The computer sometimes gets a little caught off guard and checks all sensors before opening up the throttle. Thus the momentary lag followed by a surge of power.

Its completely different and no way related. I started the thread at m3post that now has some 42,000 reads and 900 odd posts on that subject.

I've owned both the x5 and m3 dct. The lag issue on the m3 dct transmission is completely different to the apparent lag you get in the x5. The x5 "lag" is no different from what you get in typical automatic transmissions.