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[Entwood]

It is available at all times ... right foot to the floor - kickdown is exactly the same as pressing "sport" button" ... 

[Ian_D]

It is available at all times ... right foot to the floor - kickdown is exactly the same as pressing "sport" button" ... 

TBH, I hardly ever use the sport button to make the car 'quicker', seems fast enough! Now the kids are back at school, it takes me upto 40 mins twice everyday across town centre on my way to work! (4 miles) For the first 30 mins I’m lucky if I see over 20 mph for more than 5 seconds!

However, she does see the kickdown switch every now and then when out of town   Still puts a smile on my face 2.5 years later! 

I do however use the sport button to slow down when leaving motorways etc.

[Broomies Mate]

It is available at all times ... right foot to the floor - kickdown is exactly the same as pressing "sport" button" ... 

Couldn't agree with you more.  I started a thread on it a month or two back and had to laugh when people said their car became 'alive' and 'accelerated quicker' when in Sport Mode.

I'll add it's handy on very twisty B roads, where it will stay in a lower gear making quick blips of the throttle more responsive (no 'potential' change-down required), but from an acceleration POV, as long as your foot is resting on the carpet, it does bugger-all.

Interesting point to poster above me (Ian_D) regarding slowing when coming off Motorways..... My 99 (T) Elite will change down when descending a hill, or braking.  My 98 (R) Wouldn't.  Didn't catch what car you drove, but perhaps a sorftware upgrade may help?

[sneakypenguin]

I do exactly the same, use it when coming off the motorway or when I'm cornwall and going up some stupidly steep hill stops it from hunting up and down

[Entwood]

If you wish to use engine braking, or stop "hunting" gear changes, just select "3" not sport. The systems will use all gears except "4" at NORMAL change point, so putting less stress on both engine and transmission as the RPM's will be much lower, except in "3" if you floor it of course.

I do this frequently when towing, especially if stuck behind someone at about 45-50 when the system hunts between "3" & "4" lots, even with the software upgrade to V9 (I think). Once past the mobile roadblock and back up to 55-60 ish just drop it back into "4" to get the peace mode back and save fuel ..

[Smiddy]

I must admit the more I drive it the kick down does do pritty much the same but the kid in me just wants to press the button 

[aaronjb]

It's true that the kick down does the same thing at WOT, of course.. but I find I honestly don't use WOT that much - sometimes it's just nice not to have the box change up at 3500rpm and to be able to drive it more like a manual (progressively open the throttle, rather than just stamp on it)..

I guess that's just force of habit - stamping the throttle in the other car(s) is more likely to launch you through a hedge