Was getting ready to pass a car and decided to press the sport button just to see what changed in the performance and was more than annoyed when the car downshifted to 5th at 80 mph and stayed that way. RPM's jumped from around 2200 to over 3000.
Think AM could have figured out a better way to boost performance than downshifting.

This is just a rant post.

 

If you use the cruise control and the SPORT button, it will shift back to sixth gear, once the cruise is reactivated. Doesn't fix the issue you discussed, just something I stumbled on to.

​​​​​​​Regards,

 

Don't know about earlier DB9's, but modern ones raise the rev limit for upshifts to keep the engine in the power band (what you are seeing), and also makes the shifts a lot faster, stiffens the suspension, sharpens the throttle response, and makes the steering a lot quicker. I think it also opens the flaps in the exhaust to make it louder.

 

A lot of times I think the SPORT button will prevent shifting to highest gear. So that may be totally normal.


Also, typically in any car the SPORT button will allow a 200rpm higher threshold, open exhaust valves, and possibly allow for sharper throttle response and/or steering response and tighten up adjustable suspensions.


07' DB9, probably only the RPM change, lock out of 6th gear, and open valves. Steering likely doesn't change and it doesn't have adjustable suspension. So in other words your car acted normal.


Plus------- on most any car, once the throttle is opened to a certain degree, the car will act like its in sport mode regardless of the button pushed or not. (suspension, steering etc..... not applicable for this, this is for all the normal cars out there with a SPORT button, like a Honda Accord, or Nissan Altima etc....)