Comfort vs sport mode on the FF

the switch def softens up the bumps in my car

 

I never use comfort mode so I'd have to test. Are you using comfort + manual shift or comfort + auto shift? In sport + auto, there should be more aggressive shift points but even then, if you are just cruising, it could take the software a couple of pedal stomps and hard braking to realise you want the "fun" mode back. Again, that's from memory as I'm normally sport/manual/bumpy road setting myself.

 

Sport vs. Comfort on the FF, from my "empirical" experience...

(BTW, you can view the differences on the left TFT)

Sport stiffens up the baseline setting of the dampers (which remain active, and can and do get stiffer). (using the Bumpy Road button defaults the damper setting back to Comfort, even in Sport mode)

Engine map is more aggressive, but really only noticeable if you are aggressive with throttle (eg. throttle position, speed of throttle opening, and with rpm's)

Shift map is more aggressive; to me, it's hard to detect a few milliseconds going up in gears, but a noticeable change is coming off full (or heavy) throttle, quickly come off throttle and apply a high brake pressure...(as if braking into a turn on a track)...when you downshift, the blips will be more aggressive and shift sequence harder when you grab a gear. (Most people on the street tend to come off the throttle gently, and apply brake gently, and are late(r) to downshift, so engine blips are less noticeable (and less important)).

ABS/TCS/ESC mapping is a bit more liberal - will allow a bit more wheelspin, a bit more yaw and yaw rate and slightly later intervention of ABS (depending on actual grip levels). (as an example, Snow and Wet really are aggressive to prevent much, if any, wheelspin and yaw).

The Diff settings should be a bit tighter, quite candidly it's less noticeable in the FF than in a 458 coming out of slow(er) corners.

Essentially, Sport just increments most of the chassis and dynamic settings up one notch and makes a more aggressive engine/gearbox map available. I say "available" in that you have to push it to notice it. One thing we noticed on the 458 was that on reverse legs of a round-trip once, we drove Sport up and Race back....the fuel consumption in Race was much higher. Nothing analytically conclusive, but demonstrates the different engine map.

 

Switch to comfort from sport, on the go driving down the road and you'll feel the chassis/suspension get pretty cushy. I notice after a longer drive sometimes it stiffens up again

Just an FYI, rain mode is softer than comfort, snow mode is softest setting in the car you'll feel the wallow

I always switch to the setting I want on the fly, on the road over the uneven surface so it calibrates better than sitting still on flat ground

This was same thing with my Mclaren

 

Entropy has it right on. I'm mostly in Sport with the shock button mashed to soften the ride, big difference there. If I'm cruising to the dealer (2.1 hours away on mostly back roads) I'll be in Comfort as shifting is a bit smoother. However if I see another car that my big fat ego says I need to impress I switch to Sport quickly then get the RPM over 3K to open the exhaust as I pass them .

I don't notice any additional softness from Comfort to Rain. And the Snow mode is WAY too quick to drop horsepower to nothing with a little wheel slip. If I'm pulling out of a parking lot in the snow I have it in rain or comfort as they both allow significant wheel spin, snow does not and you can get caught with no power half way into the main street.

 

To recap: Sport is felt in the pointy steering, tighter suspension and engine/tranny more aggressive in Auto. Sport with the Bumpy Road button on is likely most popular. Suspension is softer as in Comfort, steering and engine stay tight. Comfort you can really feel on the highway switching down from Sport. Modes are more clear when you are pushing the car beyond the speed limits!


Also try adding +3 or +4 PSI cold to all tires. This will stiffen everything, accentuate the differences, and is plenty safe. Factory setting are for max softness.

 

I have my car setup so that in sport my exhaust valves are open all the time. so if I'm driving to the city and have conference calls I keep the car in comfort and it sounds like an oem exhaust. no conf calls, I click to sport and hit the suspension button and the the novitec screams up and down the rev counter. nice.

 

The steering (assist, rate, et al) is completely independent of the Modes. While variable assist, it does not change with mode...which is contrast to the steering even on my Fiat Abarth or Porsche Cayenne, which changes assist level and rate in Sport mode.