What exactly happens you hit ‘Sport’ mode?
Array of changes kick in for motoring that will feel feistier, more athletic
Many new cars have driver-selectable modes that can be toggled at the touch of a button to change the vehicle’s feel and personality. One of the most popular of these is Sport mode, which typically promises increased power and response.
At its simplest, engaging
Sport mode makes the vehicle’s throttle more sensitive, for hair-trigger response. The automatic transmission may respond similarly: downshifting earlier and holding higher revs for longer periods to keep the engine’s power output within striking distance.
Finally, Sport mode commonly summons a heavier, quicker feel from the steering system, for a more go-kart like sensation.
That’s Sport mode at its simplest. Turn it on, and your car feels feistier. Turn it off, and it goes back to a more all-purpose setting.
Here are some of the more advanced Sport mode functions you’ll find in today’s high-performing vehicles.
SPORT SUSPENSION
In addition to a sportier feel from the vehicle’s transmission and throttle, the vehicle’s suspension may also participate when Sport mode is activated.
Most cars have a fixed suspension with a single setting designed to evenly balance agile handling and ride comfort.
These two attributes are generally enemies — though various adaptive suspension technologies can allow them to peacefully coexist.
With the ability to electronically control the behaviour of the vehicle’s suspension with millisecond precision, systems such as Cadillac’s Magnetic Ride
Control can give the sportiest cars a more comfortable ride or make the most comfortable cars handle like something much smaller and more athletic.
In Sport mode, the vehicle’s body tends to feel more planted atop its wheels more often, even during intensive driving at high speeds on a circuit. This improves vehicle stability and reduces driver workload.
Harry K. Ng, Cadillac product manager, says Cadillac offers the world’s fastest acting, latest generation Magnetic Ride Control active suspension system (also described as Continuous Damping Control CDC).
“This system delivers precise body motion control, ‘reading’ the road every millisecond. That’s 10 times faster than the blink of an eye. It can change damping response in just 10 milliseconds.”
SPORT AWD
Use of Sport mode can also alter the behaviour of the vehicle’s AWD system. More power is typically sent more quickly to the rear wheels during hard driving, helping turn in a more precise handling feel and allowing drivers to more effectively push the car around corners with the throttle during spirited driving.
“Torque distribution between front and rear wheels, and also from left-hand to right-hand wheels, can be changed to enhance the sport characteristics in the vehicle’s handling,” Ng says.
SPORT SOUND EFFECTS
Drivers may also experience a more dynamic engine sound in Sport mode, too. Some vehicles use synthesized engine sound, pumped in through the vehicle speakers.
Other vehicles use mechanical flaps or ducts in the air intake or exhaust system that open and close to generate a more menacing sound when Sport mode is engaged.
SPORT TURBO PRE-SPOOL
We’re also seeing more models that can pre-spool their turbochargers at idle when Sport mode is engaged.
In vehicles such as the Porsche 911 or Mercedes E53 AMG, use of higher performing drive modes triggers electronic changes within the engine management system that allow the compressor to generate positive boost, even from the idling engine. This pre-emptively eliminates boostlag that typically occurs when the throttle is first applied.
SPORT MODE EXTRAS
Some models, including higher-performing Lexus and Audi machinery, can even trigger changes to the style, colour and animation of their instrument clusters, immediately displaying a race car inspired readout when Sport mode is selected.