For those who have paddle shifts fitted on their L320, does the gearbox need to be in sport mode before they can be used? Or can the downshift paddle be triggered directly from D?

No it does not need to be in sports mode.

Cheers
Col

Works in either mode D or S. Can be selected by pulling one of the paddles, can be put back in to auto mode by holding the up paddle for a few seconds, or it will revert to auto mode if no paddles are used for a period of time.

Interestingly, if terrain response is in dynamic mode (fast road mode), the gearbox won't change up at the rev limit when in S but it will in D. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

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Good spot - I never even noticed! 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

So will I just need a new steering wheel with the paddles and have the CCF edited?

Or is there other wiring components that will need to be in place too?

What model of RRS do you have? I think the paddle shift only became available with the 8-speed gearbox. No doubt, someone will have figured out how to add it to non-paddle shift vehicles, however. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

When I was looking for mine, I viewed several MY10's with the 6 speed box with paddles, albeit mine doesn't have them.

My S/C which still had the 6 speed box has them although that's a MY13 car, never bother using them though.

Cheers
Col

My 2010 V8 with a six speed box has them, I haven’t got round to playing with them properly yet, only by accident when I catch the paddle by mistake.  2010 HSE TdV8 in Stornoway Grey.
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I use them when I want to pretend I'm driving something sportier ..

.. I usually give up on that idea when I get to the first corner

Though, really; I have no problem driving a manual car (my BMW 650 is manual), judging which gear I want to be in, change down to etc.. but for some reason, I never know what gear I should be aiming for in a paddle-shift automatic. Maybe I just don't drive them in manual mode often enough to learn the gearbox? But the last time I used it (to overtake) I went down one gear more than intended and only got about 1000rpm before I hit the red line

Maybe I should put the L plates back on  2014 BMW 530d Touring, 2006 BMW 650i, 2018 Mini Cooper S

I generally use the paddles to force the gearbox to change down properly at roundabouts / junctions. In auto mode, it's usually messing around in 3rd or even 4th at 10mph having slowed down from speed, meaning roundabouts and junctions can be a lottery if you try to judge a gap and roll in to it. Sometimes the throttle does nothing for a second or two, or three, or four as the gearbox is way too high a gear.

When "pushing on" I will use the paddles too but one needs to check the gear indicator in the dash after the first paddle pull to see where you are in the gears. Then it's just a simple matter of subconsciously counting the pulls on each paddle to know what gear you're in without looking at the indicator.

Put in to "mad mode" on terrain response, the gearbox in sport and then use the paddles to change gear, the RRS will make a good fist of being a sporty vehicle. It's amazing how well it grips even on AT tyres - one can certainly travel at license-troubling speeds across country if one wishes. But the number of places where that can be done is limited.

The paddles shift is also useful off road at times, especially ensuring it's in first gear on a steep descent. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Ah .. interesting you say that; I always wondered if the occasional pregnant pause pulling away at junctions or roundabouts was 'just mine' or all of them.. I've nearly been caught out a few times (especially out of our road in Spinney Hill onto the Kettering Road) and I've wondered if I might be better off having the gearbox in Spanish waiter mode.

I thought the AT tyres were a bit too soft sidewalled to really 'push on' though - what pressure do you run yours at? Always the possibility that it's tired suspension & bushes rather than the tyres, and I've just been blaming the wrong thing! Trying to hack around Exeter a few months back I'd quite often have the traction control complaining around hairpin bends, so I assumed the tyres just weren't best suited to that

Apologies to the OP for the thread drift! 2014 BMW 530d Touring, 2006 BMW 650i, 2018 Mini Cooper S

Junction pause? They all do that sir. Sometimes known as the suicide pause.

What ATs are you running? Currently on Pirelli AT+ which do well on road, as did the Grabber AT3 before them. 2012 SDV6 - it's missing a couple of cylinders
2008 TDV8 - it was a labour of love and is much missed

Suicide pause yep that sounds accurate! It also means that I jump back in the wife's car (R56 Mini Cooper S) which is also automatic and kangaroo off like a learner because the throttle pedal is the polar opposite in terms of sensitivity from a standstill.

I've got Grabber AT3s on at the moment (which still look practically new, must try harder?) and I've always felt like the shoulders were 'rolling under' if I tried too hard around roundabouts. Running them at 38psi IIRC and maybe that's not enough on-road. 2014 BMW 530d Touring, 2006 BMW 650i, 2018 Mini Cooper S