I tried it - 6th is not used in sport mode at any point up to 90 on my private test track....

Another SW wrote:

will_wonka wrote:

Has to be a fake picture, Bobby is never wrong

Don't take my word for it guys... go try it for yourselves...

Just out of interest, the official workshop manual also says "5th gear isn't used"... (along with one or two other things that aren't quite technically correct either... )

PJPR01 wrote:

Another SW is 100% correct. I've tried this today, and with the car on cruise control, shifting from full automatic to sport mode, the transmission does stay in 6th gear as evidenced by the tachometer, and you can prove it by shifting upwards so that 6 appears and you'll notice that the RPM's do not increase. The only thing is you don't have to be above 82 or 85 mph as previously stated, it works just fine at 60, 65, 70, 75 as well...yes, I tested at all 4 speeds. It could very well work below that as well, but with traffic flowing much faster, didn't have the chance to test it. By the way, mine is a 2006.

So...there does appear to be something about invoking the cruise control that doesn't trigger the downshift into 5th gear.

Great work and great news! If you're right this means there's an angle that LR overlooked! Congratulations!!

Meanwhile, some clarifications please..

1. You were in cruise control driving in 6th gear when you shifted to 'Sport'. Did the vehicle continue travelling in 6th for some distance? How did you confirm it did not downshift to 5th? If it did stay in 6th, why did you have to 'prove it'?

2. Do you realise that when to "'prove it' you shifted upwards so that 6 appears", you inadvertently went into CommandShift mode? The minute you push the stick up or down, you're out of Sport and into CommandShift. And of course it will go into 6th (and low RPM) in CommandShift mode!

You should try this again to clear the ambiguities.This time without going into CommandShift.
I hope you succeed and prove that LR can be sometimes wrong!  Malaysia Boleh!
4.2SC Chawton White, Stormers
Tasmod's Sills, Wind Deflectors, LR Sills
Clear Side Repeaters, Towbar
Larini Sports Exhaust, K&N Air Filter
______________________________
WINNER - 2008 'Tech-Head Of The Year' Award
WINNER - 2009 Outstanding Contribution
WINNER - 2009 'Tech-Head Of The Year' Award

Bobby wrote:

PJPR01 wrote:

Another SW is 100% correct. I've tried this today, and with the car on cruise control, shifting from full automatic to sport mode, the transmission does stay in 6th gear as evidenced by the tachometer, and you can prove it by shifting upwards so that 6 appears and you'll notice that the RPM's do not increase. The only thing is you don't have to be above 82 or 85 mph as previously stated, it works just fine at 60, 65, 70, 75 as well...yes, I tested at all 4 speeds. It could very well work below that as well, but with traffic flowing much faster, didn't have the chance to test it. By the way, mine is a 2006.

So...there does appear to be something about invoking the cruise control that doesn't trigger the downshift into 5th gear.

Great work and great news! If you're right this means there's an angle that LR overlooked! Congratulations!!

Meanwhile, some clarifications please..

1. You were in cruise control driving in 6th gear when you shifted to 'Sport'. Did the vehicle continue travelling in 6th for some distance? How did you confirm it did not downshift to 5th? If it did stay in 6th, why did you have to 'prove it'?

2. Do you realise that when to "'prove it' you shifted upwards so that 6 appears", you inadvertently went into CommandShift mode? Yes...fully aware of this, that's the reason for the test above. The minute you push the stick up or down, you're out of Sport and into CommandShift. And of course it will go into 6th (and low RPM) in CommandShift mode!

You should try this again to clear the ambiguities.This time without going into CommandShift.
I hope you succeed and prove that LR can be sometimes wrong!

Great work!  Malaysia Boleh!
4.2SC Chawton White, Stormers
Tasmod's Sills, Wind Deflectors, LR Sills
Clear Side Repeaters, Towbar
Larini Sports Exhaust, K&N Air Filter
______________________________
WINNER - 2008 'Tech-Head Of The Year' Award
WINNER - 2009 Outstanding Contribution
WINNER - 2009 'Tech-Head Of The Year' Award

Just to add to PJPR01's test above, if you are already in Sport Automatic mode and above 80 mph (may work at lower speeds, I haven't tested it) and then switch on cruise control, it will engage 6th gear when you go downhill or on the flat and the throttle is relaxed.

I believe that it will also engage 6th without cruise control above 82 mph with light throttle, but I keep forgetting to test this (on my private test track of course).

While we're on the subject of private test tracks does anyone else do the 3 seconds over 100 mph to drop the suspension for a quicker 'lap-time'? As long as you don't drop below 80 mph for more than 30 seconds it stays low(er)

Just read this topic through and have a question bit out of the topic.
MAW where is your private test track if I may ask???
I would love to finaly try what is the capability of the V8

Another SW wrote:

I believe that it will also engage 6th without cruise control above 82 mph with light throttle, but I keep forgetting to test this (on my private test track of course).

While we're on the subject of private test tracks does anyone else do the 3 seconds over 100 mph to drop the suspension for a quicker 'lap-time'? As long as you don't drop below 80 mph for more than 30 seconds it stays low(er)

I was not able to make the first item work even with very light throttle...it just stayed in 5th all the time, maybe with a tail wind and downhill it might trick it, but I couldn't do it.

On the +100 mph, a recent test here on a safe wide open stretch of highway in the desert, honestly I couldn't tell, but at those speeds, both hands are on the wheel, eyes glued to the road, I'm not sure one can even feel the minute drop, but it also doesn't seem to indicate anything on the dash (like highway mode or something to that effect would be cool). All I can say is that it loves to run at these speeds and could do so all day long.  PJPR
Cairns Blue HSE
180k Miles of Adventure

I'm afraid the Big Brother Speed Nannies stopped there from being a dash indication of the lowered suspension at high speed, but it does drop 20 mm and you notice the stiffer suspension on cornering (and on bumps - not in a good way!) It also feels a little more stable - especially in cross-winds.

Of course it is not something that I would ever do on public roads , but handy at the Nurburgring...

Do not know what does this have to do with the 6th gear but I am certain that the car lowers at high speeds. On the FFRR you even used to get an indication when it did... Unfortunately the RRS and after 06 FFRR do not indicate it anymore but still do drop 20mm

Coko wrote:

Do not know what does this have to do with the 6th gear but I am certain that the car lowers at high speeds. On the FFRR you even used to get an indication when it did... Unfortunately the RRS and after 06 FFRR do not indicate it anymore but still do drop 20mm

That's because from 2007 MY FFRR got the D3/RRS suspension and dropped at 100 mph instead of the previous 60 mph. So no longer legal speeds in most parts of the World and we couldn't have people trying to get the indicator to show in the dash at 100 mph now, could we?

Hmmm, will try it next time I am over in SK and take a pic what message do I get on dash

Just back from a jaunt to those unrestricted autobahns
Gave the car a bit of wellie in sport mode (NOT command shift) and she was in 5th up to about 170km/h and was changing up into 6th as the speedo was getting to 180km/h, topped out with the speedo reading just over 210km/h so I guess it uses all 6 gears in sport mode
Car is a October 2007 (MY08) TDV8 Sons of dogs come hither and get flesh
Clan Cameron

Alicatt wrote:

Just back from a jaunt to those unrestricted autobahns
Gave the car a bit of wellie in sport mode (NOT command shift) and she was in 5th up to about 170km/h and was changing up into 6th as the speedo was getting to 180km/h, topped out with the speedo reading just over 210km/h so I guess it uses all 6 gears in sport mode
Car is a October 2007 (MY08) TDV8

It will be a few days before I'm back in Germany,  Sons of dogs come hither and get flesh
Clan Cameron