What does sport mode do on a 'Manual' car?

[Axcontrols]

My ML (has no 'modes') always pulls away in second gear which can be quite lethargic especially when trying to pull out into a busy roundabout so manually selecting '1' before giving gas is called for.

But My GLA is Manual (yes I know. But Mrs Ax just doesn't like Auto and I bought the GLA coz she doesn't like driving the ML)

So, what does the 'Sport' mode do on the manual GLA? Maybe it just changes how it displays the annoying up/downshift hints on the dash. On the other hand, because I'm so used to Automatics I do occasionally find myself sat in the wrong gear so maybe that hint isn't such a bad idea.

But 'Sport' mode in a manual car? Is it a bit like an ashtray on a motorbike.

 

[Ron240]

I had a sport mode in my Focus ST and all it done when engaged was to reduce the influence of the traction control and Electronic Stability Control.
It may have turned the former off completely but I'm not sure.
In any case there was little or no difference.

I am more puzzled about why your ML always pulls away in second gear. Does this mean that when in Drive the gearbox never selects first gear?
This seems crazy to me.

 

[A.J.]

I had a sport mode in my Focus ST and all it done when engaged was to reduce the influence of the traction control and Electronic Stability Control.
It may have turned the former off completely but I'm not sure.
In any case there was little or no difference.

I am more puzzled about why your ML always pulls away in second gear. Does this mean that when in Drive the gearbox never selects first gear?
This seems crazy to me.

I am sure my C200 pulls away in second in comfort mode, Select Sport or Sport+ and it uses first

 

[Axcontrols]

I had a sport mode in my Focus ST and all it done when engaged was to reduce the influence of the traction control and Electronic Stability Control.
It may have turned the former off completely but I'm not sure.
In any case there was little or no difference.

I am more puzzled about why your ML always pulls away in second gear. Does this mean that when in Drive the gearbox never selects first gear?
This seems crazy to me.

I assume the car selects the gear it wants. No load on a flat road there's enough torque to move away in 2nd without labouring. My 380SLC did the same thing.
As well as manually selecting a low gear, another way I'd move away quickly would be to hold left foot on the brake, raise the revs just a little with the right foot so the car is almost straining to go and, when there's a gap in the traffic, let the brake go and press the loud pedal. Shoots of the mark in 1st.

I suspect a lot of Auto cars are moving off in second - you just don't notice it.

 

[Ron240]

I assume the car selects the gear it wants. No load on a flat road there's enough torque to move away in 2nd without labouring. My 380SLC did the same thing.
As well as manually selecting a low gear, another way I'd move away quickly would be to hold left foot on the brake, raise the revs just a little with the right foot so the car is almost straining to go and, when there's a gap in the traffic, let the brake go and press the loud pedal. Shoots of the mark in 1st.

I suspect a lot of Auto cars are moving off in second - you just don't notice it.

It just doesnt seem right to me that your ML does not select first gear, and you clearly have a problem with it.
I have owned 3 auto cars in my life and all of them select first gear at a standstill.

 

[Axcontrols]

It just doesnt seem right to me that your ML does not select first gear, and you clearly have a problem with it.
I have owned 3 auto cars in my life and all of them select first gear at a standstill.

Was searching the forums this morning about sport mode and lots of posts say that , when they select sport mode their cars move of in 1st not 2nd. This would suggest that in 'non-sport mode that they 'do' move off in second. So it's not just me.

 

[Ron240]

Was searching the forums this morning about sport mode and lots of posts say that , when they select sport mode their cars move of in 1st not 2nd. This would suggest that in 'non-sport mode that they 'do' move off in second. So it's not just me.

So you are speaking specifically about your ML here and not automatic cars in general.
I can assure you that all automatic cars whether in sport or normal mode do not routinely select 2nd gear by default at a standstill.

 

[Axcontrols]

So you are speaking specifically about your ML here and not automatic cars in general.
I can assure you that all automatic cars whether in sport or normal mode do not routinely select 2nd gear by default at a standstill.

Ignore me and my car. Just google it and you'll find it's not just me and my car.

 

[Axcontrols]

https://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/...ference-between-comfort-and-sport-mode.34793/

 

[Ron240]

Ignore me and my car.

That will be no problem at all.
Having said that if you say something silly I might not be able to help myself.

Dont forget that I genuinely tried to help in answering your question relating to what sport mode does on a manual car.

 

[Axcontrols]

I'm sorry if my post came across wrong. English is my first language so no excuse but having lived abroad most of my life I do occasionally 'come across' as rude when common saying don't translate so well. I was trying to get you to disconnect from this thread and look at other threads on the forum and other pages on the website and you'd see it's not just me.

 

[EmilysDad]

My W166 ML350 will always set off in 1st unless I select the snow setting & then it will set off in 2nd.
Its not uncommon for an auto to set off in 2nd though, especially it seems, with Merc. Reading through various threads here C/S/W settings will have the car setting of in 1st or 2nd.
As for the manual & sports .... maybe raising the red line? Or altering suspension settings? BMW seem to do similar with their M Series cars.
Rover P5Bs set off in 2nd too

 

[Ron240]

Thats fair enough.
All I meant in regards to picking away in second with an automatic gearbox, is that it is not a routine thing with all manufacturers.
Reading the link it seems to be a thing with certain modes on certain Mercedes models.
I have a 2020 CLA and all models are automatic.
It has 4 driving modes with the default one being Comfort, and my gearbox always selects 1st at a standstill.
I will try the Eco setting to see if it picks away in second, but I will be amazed if it does. A petrol engine with 350Nm torque this would not be good.
I will let you know if it does.

 

[Blobcat]

Thats fair enough.
All I meant in regards to picking away in second with an automatic gearbox, is that it is not a routine thing with all manufacturers.
Reading the link it seems to be a thing with certain modes on certain Mercedes models.
I have a 2020 CLA and all models are automatic.
It has 4 driving modes with the default one being Comfort, and my gearbox always selects 1st at a standstill.
I will try the Eco setting to see if it picks away in second, but I will be amazed if it does. A petrol engine with 350Nm torque this would not be good.
I will let you know if it does.

Quite a lot of Mercedes autos start off in second by design

 

[Ron240]

Quite a lot of Mercedes autos start off in second by design

I did not know this... I have never encountered it before.
Would this be confined to diesels only?
I have never owned a diesel car but due to the higher torque compared with a petrol would make it slightly more understandable, although I would personally not be happy about it.

 

[Blobcat]

I did not know this... I have never encountered it before.
Would this be confined to diesels only?
I have never owned a diesel car but due to the higher torque compared with a petrol would make it slightly more understandable, although I would personally not be happy about it.

No, standard on the 7G box regardless of prime mover fuel

 

[Steve Paul Thompson]

No, standard on the 7G box regardless of prime mover fuel

Yes, my C350 Cdi pulls off in 2nd gear. 7G box.

 

[rf065]

All 3 of mine, all autos, have moved off in 2nd gear unless sport or sport+ is selected.

 

[Axcontrols]

Pulling away in 2nd is very apparent when trying to cross or join a busy intersection. Look for a gap in the traffic and move to fill it, but the car moves slowly off the line directly into the line of traffic so you put your foot down a bit more and then suddenly your car shifts down to 1st and it's away.

I tend to avoid that by holding the brake with my left foot, raising the revs just as the gap in the traffic appears and then letting go of the brake. Those extra couple of revs and resistance of the brake make it engage 1st and it goes like the proverbial sh*t of a shovel.

 

[EmilysDad]

..... although I would personally not be happy about it.

Why?