"really real" > wrote in message
...
>I sat in my cousin's 2010 381 Sports Wagon today and was amazed to see that
>it doesn't have sports mode. When did sports mode start?
>
>
> I suppose her 381 drives more sportingly than my wife's new 381 Sports
> Wagon drives in comfort mode. I know the older steering feels more
> precise, so I wonder if the suspension feels more sporty in the older
> model as well.

I presume you mean 318.

Several models have been available with a "Sport" version and a "sport"
[manual] gearbox was an option on some top end cars as long ago as the
80's*. Auto boxes had various modes from at least the early 90's (my '93
740i had Economy (normal), sport and winter modes selected by a momentary
slide switch next to the selector). Step/Tiptronic has been available
(often as an expensive option) since the late 90's. More recent cars (and
posh Merc's etc.) have had the ability to vary suspension / damper settings,
the degree (if any) of DSC / ASC), gearbox, throttle response and even max
power (M5).

More base models, such as the 318i, often omit these more esoteric features.


* on the sport version the dampers / springs / ride height / wheels etc.
would be permanent; the sport's box had a different gate, narrower ratios
and a lower top gear than the regular model.