LexusNN

iTrader: (5)

It shifts normally under that rpm so you aren't dealing with one gear the whole time revving and going down. The whole point of sport mode is to drive sporty and fast. It holds the gears higher to get the most you can out of each gear when you are really pushing it.

LexusNN

iTrader: (5)

Here is what the Lexus website says about it in brief. Hopefully this will help,
Sport S+ mode goes a step further by also tightening the suspension and increasing steering response. In both modes, the transmission's shift point is automatically altered coming into and out of corners for sharper acceleration. And for an even more engaging driving experience, steering-wheel-mounted paddle shifters offer the exhilaration of manually changing gears.

natnut

I found this handbook that gives a technical explanation of how the transmission and paddle shifts work :

2013 Lexus GS 350 New Model Technical Introduction Handbook

The explanation is in pages numbered 10, 11, 12 of the handbook.(the handbook starts on page 7.)

spwolf

it is keeping you in the powerband so you can drive fast... if it bothers you, dont drive in the Sport mode! Otherwise if you drive slowly even if in Sport+ mode, it understands that you like red lights and upshifts automatically for you.

Point of the story - drive in sport mode only if you want it to drive sportly, if you want to cruise, use normal mode, thats why it is there.

rlj4246

You might go to a dealer and try one of their GS. I think you will find it does the same thing. My 09 LS did the same thing in sport mode. Held the revs for aprox 2 seconds before downshifting. I agree it's normal.

JOELC

I dont know guys, maybe I dont drive like the rest of you. This issue should have nothing to do with a sporty mode or not, or if I choose to use the paddles or not. If I had it my way the car would always be in Sport + mode. That is how I drive, hard and fast. I have never experienced this with my 450HP Grand Sport Corvette or my 550I V8 sport Beemer that I run the ***** out of. The issue I still have is nothing has explained to me why at a 6000 RPM after a hard acceleration do the gears stick in a lower setting without automatically upshifting to a higher gear to stop the high RPM's that are no longer needed once you take the foot of the peddle, thus causing the engine to continue to SCREAM for no reason! If I take my foot off the gas that means I dont need the RPM's up there any more. If I did then I should be able to step on it again to get them back up. I dont need the RPM's to stay there on the if chance that the car is thinking that I might be thinking about hammering it again!

It is just not good tuning as far as I'm concerned. I understand fully if I have the thing in M mode, but in sport Drive mode without having the shifter in M position this should not be happening.

spwolf

obviously you dont need to run the car in Sport+ mode, if you dont understand what you need this feature for.

How can i explain it to you that you might want to brake before the corner, or even just lift the gas a bit to slow down and then hit the gas again without car being in wrong (high) gear when it decides to shift up mid corner? That you want to use engine braking to slow down and in mid corner add gas just like you would in any manual that you left in 3rd gear.

Dont use the Sport+ mode if you dont need it.

And no, slammin the pedal on the highway ramp does not require Sport+ mode. Car will go as fast if you do pedal to the metal.

jedimaster

Exactly. A good example will be driving on a long narrow winding road. I often get to drive on those roads when I go hiking in the remote area. Long, narrow and very curvy. In that scenario, I want to be in the high RPM until I hit the visible straight line when I will up shift via the paddle. Another word, the sport mode makes more sense for cornering.

spwolf

yeah, sport mode is exactly there for cornering and sporty driving when you always want to have engine in right gear for you... there are so many reasons why manual is better for sporty driving, and keeping car in gear while corner carving is main one.

...sporty driving is not, once again, gunnin it on the highway entrance :-).

LexusNN

iTrader: (5)

Yeah you say it isn't good tuning but it is. That's the whole point. It is good tuning and is smart

JOELC

Well, I guess I have to give it some time to try out. Just waiting for the break in time to end so I can do just that. I agree that manual is the best way to drive "sporty", but again, with Manual you have the option to shift up or down when YOU want, not when the car THINKS you want to. The difference with this set up is the driver has no control on when to shift up or down in sport mode.

Also, I beg to differ that Sport mode is only for cornering and long winding roads. 80% of sport driving is speed and the ability to control the car in any situation.

Let me ask one other thing to try to understand the car a bit more: If I am in Normal mode or in Sport mode and I hammer it will the car accelerate just as fast, or is Sport mode going to to give it that extra get up and go? Is the horsepower, torque and gear changes exactly the same or is it more limited in the Normal mode?

Thanks again guys for all the comments. I am glad you guys are here to bounce things off of!

dseag2

BTW, I completely understand what you are saying because I had an Infiniti M that did the throttle "blip" to keep you in the right gear when downshifting, but I've never driven a car that downshifts and stays there even when you take your foot off the gas. (My Audi S5 had dual-clutch, so I have no idea what it did but it was magic.)

I also use Sport + while on the highway to fly past other cars, but then I'm disappointed when I'm ready to slow down and the RPMs don't drop. I think that's what you're describing. Again, that's when I push the button on the console and the car goes back to Normal mode. The RPMs drop immediately and I am ready to cruise along.

I can understand all the explanations for the car staying in a higher gear for cornering. They are really helpful, and that's the way I will primarily use Sport +.

To answer your question, there is no HP difference in Sport or Sport +, but the throttle mapping is different and the downshifts are quicker, so it definitely helps you "move along". Hope that helps.

LexusNN

iTrader: (5)

Yeah sport changes gears quicker

JOELC

Thanks again for all your comments. I was on the highway today and hammered it in sport+ when I was finished I just simply clicked the paddle to up shift gears. I guess every car maker has their own way. I am sure I will get used to it. I am just glad it is not a flaw on my new car!

Now only if I could figure out how to shut off the silly safety features of the NAV system where it wont let you manually input a new destination while you are driving... I mean come on!! (not to say that the Voice command feature ain't the BOMB!!)

dseag2

Yeah, Lexus will never allow you to do that... especially after the "gas pedal sticking" lawsuits, so you will just have to suffer through the voice control.