2010 PORSCHE PANAMERA sport mode

Driving and Driving Safety
195
Selector-Lever PositionsP – Parking lockfEngage parking lock only when the vehicle is
stationary.
If selector-lever position P is flashing in the
instrument panel, the parking lock is not
engaged. The vehicle can roll away.
Shift again from selector-lever position R to P.
f Activate the electric parking brake and then
engage the parking lock.
If selector-lever position P is flashing in the
instrument panel, the parking lock is not
engaged. The vehicle can roll away.
Shift again from selector-lever position R to P.
The ignition key can be removed only in selector-
lever position P.R – Reverse gearf Select only if the vehicl e is stationary and the
brake is applied.N – Neutral (idling)Selector-lever position N must be selected for
towing or in car washes, for example.
f Only select the desired position for driving off
(D , M or R) when the engine is idling and the
brake pedal is pressed.
D – Automatic selection modeSelect position D for “normal” driving. The gears
are shifted automatically according to the
accelerator position and speed.
Depending on the way the vehicle is driven
(economical, comfortable or sporty driving style)
and on the resistance (e.g. uphill), the gear-
changing points are shifted towards higher or
lower engine-speed ranges.
The accelerator position, driving speed, engine
speed, longitudinal and lateral acceleration and
the road profile all have an influence on the gear-
changing characteristic.
Unwanted upshifts, e.g. when entering
bends, are prevented by swiftly releasing the
accelerator pedal.
Depending on lateral acceleration, upshifts on
bends are not made until the engine-speed limit
is reached.
When you brake, and depending on the amount of
deceleration, the PDK transmission changes down
earlier.
For subsequent cornering, the right gear is
engaged when pressure is applied to the brakes
before the bend. The bend is taken in the right
gear, and when you accelerate out of the bend you
do not have to change down.
With a sporty driving style, downshifts are already
initiated when the brake pedal is touched lightly.
This further enhances a dynamic driving style. The PDK transmission temporarily changes to the
sportiest gear-changing map, i.e. to the highest
possible gear-changing points, if the accelerator
pedal is pressed quickly. The transmission
accordingly shifts down
immediately by one or
two gears (temporary change-down).
The transmission no longer selects 7th gear
at high driving speeds.
“Sport” and “Sport Plus” Mode “Sport” mode activated:
The PDK transmission switches to a sporty gear-
changing map and shortens the shifting times.
A sporty driving style is recognized more quickly
and the gear-changing speeds are adapted to
driving performance.
Deceleration downshifts are initiated earlier.
Downshifts occur for small decelerations,
even at higher revs.
“Sport Plus” mode activated:
In “Sport Plus” mode, the PDK transmission
changes to a shift program designed for driving
on race circuits. 7th gear is not selected.
The gear-changing performance is enhanced
significantly again compared with “Sport” mode.
f Please see the chapter ““SPORT” AND “SPORT
PLUS” MODE” on page 212.

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Driving and Driving Safety
Driving off with Launch Control
Launch Control allows you to achieve maximum
acceleration from standstill.
Warning!
There is a risk of endangering other road
users if you use this Control in an improper
location or in a situation where other persons
might need to take evas ive action due to the
rapid acceleration that this technology
permits.
Launch Control is designed to be used in a
controlled environment on closed circuit driving
courses where no vehicle cross traffic or
pedestrian traffic is present.
f Use Launch Control only if conditions permit it
to be applied in a safe manner.
f Do not use Launch Control if there is a
possibility it could endanger other persons.
Such a possibility exists if you cannot see that
you have a clear road with no possibility of
cross traffic in your intended direction of driving.
Caution!
Stress on components increases
dramatically when starting with maximum
acceleration in comparison with “normal”
driving off. Use of Launch Control will
inevitably reduce the life of the engaged
engine and transmission components.
Preconditions:
– Launch Control should on ly be used when the
engine has reached operating temperature.
– “Sport Plus” mode must be switched on (indicator light on the button comes on and
“SPORT PLUS” appears on the multi-function
display).
1. Press the brake with your left foot.
2. Quickly press the accelerator down fully (kickdown activated) and hold it.
The engine speed will level off at
around 5,000 rpm on the Panamera S,
around 5,500 rpm on the Panamera 4S,
around 4,550 rpm on the Panamera Turbo.
“Launch Control active” appears on the
multi-function display.
3. Release the brake within a few seconds. Remaining stationary for a long time with
“Launch Control active” can lead to
overloading of the transmission.
To protect the transmi ssion, the engine power
is then reduced and the “Launch Control
active” process is cancelled. Shifting gears on the steering wheel
With the shift buttons on the steering wheel, you
can change temporarily from automatic selection
mode D to manual mode
M.
For example:
– Shifting down before bends and on entering built-up areas.
– Shifting down on downward slopes (engine braking).
– Shifting down for brief spurts of acceleration.
The manual selection mode remains engaged:
– For cornering (depending on the lateral acceleration) and overrunning.
– When the vehicle is stationary (e.g. at a junction).
The system leaves manual selection mode:
– automatically after around 8 seconds (unless cornering or overrunning),
– after driving off.

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Driving and Driving Safety
Upshift prompt for fuel-economy-optimised
driving
The consumption-oriente
d upshift indicator A in
the tachometer at the ri ght beside the digital
speed display helps you to develop a fuel-saving
driving style.
The upshift indicator lights up - prompting you to
shift up to the next-higher gear - depending on the
selected gear, engine speed and accelerator
pedal position.
The upshift indicator is only active when “Sport” or
“Sport Plus” mode is switched off.
f Change to the next-higher gear when the
upshift indicator lights up. Shifting down –
f
Pull the PDK selector lever or shift button on
the steering wheel back.
You can shift up or down by the corresponding
number of gears by quickly pressing or pulling the
shift buttons or selector lever several times in
succession.
The transmission can be shifted up or down by
several gears in succession by continuously
operating the selector lever or shift buttons.
You can shift up or down at any time depending
on driving speed and engine speed.
Gear changes that would exceed the upper or
lower engine-speed limit are not executed by the
control unit.
There is no automatic upshift at the upper engine-
speed limit in selector-lever position M. Upshift
suppression can be cancelled by kickdown
operation. If, for example, the engine-speed limit
is reached during overtaking and an automatic
upshift does not occur, the transmission shifts up
in this case as a result of kickdown operation.
f Select an appropriately low gear on upward
and downward slopes.
This will ensure optimum use of engine power
and engine braking. To shift up automatically
at the upper engine-
speed limit:
f Press the accelerator pedal beyond the full-
throttle point (kickdown).
Failure of the selector lever display on the
instrument panel
The warning “Gearbox emergency operation”
appears in red on the multi-function display.
Effect:
– No selector-lever position is displayed on the instrument panel.
Vehicle can be driven only until it comes to
astop.
Action required:
f It is not possible to continue driving. Stop the
vehicle immediately in a suitable place. Have
the vehicle towed to a qualified specialist
workshop.
f Please see the chapter “TOWING” on
page 316.

Driving and Driving Safety
205
When you brake in the ABS control range,
the vehicle is stabilised even when PSM is
switched off.
One-sided spinning of the wheels is prevented,
even with PSM switched off.
PSM should always be switched on during
“normal” driving.
H o w e v e r, i t m a y b e a g o o d i d e a to s w it c h o f f P S M
temporarily in exceptional situations:
– On a loose surface and in deep snow.
– When “rocking the vehicle free”.
– When using snow chains.
Tip on driving
The vehicle retains its enhanced braking readiness
through prefilling of the br ake system even when
PSM is switched off.
When PSM is switched off, wheel-specific brake
interventions and the anti-slip control system (ASR)
are also switched off.
The automatic brake differential (ABD) remains on.
Adaptive cruise control is deactivated when PSM
is switched off.
When PSM is switched off, the slip monitoring
function of Porsche Doppelkupplung (PDK) is also
deactivated.
Switching PSM back onf Press button .
PSM is active immediately.
The indicator light on the button and the
PSM OFF warning light on the instrument
panel go out.
The message “PSM switched on” appears on
the multi-function disp lay in the instrument
panel.“Sport Plus” modeA sportier setup is obtained when “Sport Plus”
mode is switched on.
PSM interventions occur later than in Normal
mode. The vehicle can be maneuvered with
greater agility at its pe rformance limits, without
having to dispense with th e assistance of PSM in
emergency situations. This helps to achieve
optimal lap times, particular ly on race circuits and
on a dry road surface. – The PSM warning light on the instrument panel
lights up for a lamp check when the ignition is
switched on.
– The light indicates a control operation, even when PSM is switched off, e.g. brake control in
the event of one-sided wheel spin.
– The light - in conjunction with the multi-function display - indicates a fault.
The warning message “PSM failure” appears
on the multi-function display in the instrument
panel.
For information on warning messages on the multi-
function display:
f Please see the chapter “OVERVIEW OF
WARNING MESSAGES” on page 152.
f Adapt your driving style according to the
changed conditions.
f Contact a qualified spec ialist workshop in
order to correct the fault. We recommend that
you have an authorized Porsche dealer to do
this work, as they have the trained workshop
personnel and the necessary parts and tools
for this type of work.
To w i n g
For information on towing:
f Please see the chapter “TOWING” on
page 316.
PSM warning light

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Driving and Driving Safety
Porsche Active Suspension
Management (PASM)The PASM system actively adjusts the shock
absorbers. The adjustable damper system selects
the appropriate damping level for each wheel
according to the driving situation and driving
conditions. Driving safety, agility and comfort are
optimised.
Three different chassis setu ps can be selected at
the push of a button:
– “PASM Comfort”
– “PASM Sport”
– “PASM Sport Plus”
Comfort mode ensures comfortable chassis
tuning.
The “PASM Sport” chassis setup offers very
sporty shock absorber tuning.
“PASM Sport Plus” mode offers particularly
sporty shock absorber tuning (e.g. for driving on
the race circuit).
In addition to manual mode selection, PASM
also adjusts shock absorber tuning for either
sporty or comfort driving, depending on the
driving situation.
Selecting the PASM mode1. Switch on ignition.
2. Press button (repeatedly).
On the button:
– No indicator light comes on when you select “PASM Comfort” (default setting).
– One indicator light come s on when you select
“PASM Sport”.
– Two indicator lights come on when you select “PASM Sport Plus”.
In addition, the selected chassis setup is shown on
the multi-function display in the instrument panel
for approx. 4 seconds. Note on operation
The last selected chassis setup is stored in the
memory after the ignition is switched off.
Warning messageThe system automatically
detects PASM faults and
displays them on the multi-function display in the
instrument panel.
For information on warning messages on the
multi-function display:
f Please see the chapter “OVERVIEW OF
WARNING MESSAGES” on page 152.
f Adapt your driving style according to the
changed conditions.
f Contact a qualified specialist workshop in
order to correct the fault. We recommend that
you have an authorized Porsche dealer to do
this work, as they have the trained workshop
personnel and the necessary parts and tools
for this type of work.

Driving and Driving Safety
209
Porsche Active Suspension
Management (PASM) with Air
Suspension and Level ControlPASM with air suspension is an active shock
absorber adjustment and ride height balancing
system. The adjustable damper system selects
the appropriate damping level for each wheel
according to the driving situation and driving
conditions. The level control system automatically
balances load changes and maintains a constant
ride height. Driving safety , agility and comfort are
optimised.
Three different chassis setups can be selected at
the push of a button:
– “PASM Comfort”
– “PASM Sport”
– “PASM Sport Plus”
Comfort mode ensures comfortable chassis
tuning.
The “PASM Sport” chassis setup offers very
sporty shock absorber tuning.
“PASM Sport Plus” mode offers particularly sporty
shock absorber tuning (e.g. for driving on the race
circuit). The vehicle is also lowered by
approx. 1 in. (25 mm) compared with the normal
level and the spring rate is increased.
In addition to manual mode selection, PASM also
adjusts shock absorber tuning for either sporty
or comfort driving, depending on the driving
situation.
Selecting the PASM mode1. Switch on ignition.
2. Start the engine.
3. Press button (repeatedly).
On the button:
– No indicator light come s on when you select
“PASM Comfort” (default setting).
– One indicator light comes on when you select “PASM Sport”.
– Two indicator lights come on when you select
“PASM Sport Plus”. In addition, the selected chassis setup is shown on
the multi-function display in the instrument panel
for approx. 4 seconds.
Note
The mode cannot be changed if a door or the
tailgate is opened or when the engine is switched
off.
When the vehicle is stopped, the ride height may
be adjusted automatically
in order to balance the
vehicle load.
High LevelThe level control system al lows you to raise the
vehicle in maneuvering mode by approx. 0.8 in.
(20 mm) compared with the normal level in order
to drive over curbs and ramps.
High Level can only be selected manually and at
speeds of less than approx. 20 mph (30 km/h).
Note
High Level must not be us ed on public roads since
the prescribed installation height of the reflectors
can be exceeded in High Level.

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Driving and Driving Safety
“Sport” and “Sport Plus” Mode FunctionThe selectable chassis settings mean that the
vehicle can offer various modes for a sportier
overall setup.
When “Sport” or “Sport Plus” mode is selected, all
the vehicle’s control systems are intentionally
shifted towards greater agility and driving
performance:
– PASM (Porsche Active Suspension Management) is automa tically changed to
“PASM Sport” or “PASM Sport Plus” mode,
resulting in a stiffer suspension setup.
The vehicle switches to Low Level in “PASM
Sport Plus” mode.
f Please see the chapter “PORSCHE ACTIVE
SUSPENSION MANAGEMENT (PASM)” on
page 208.
– Just like PASM, PDCC is switched to the corresponding “Sport” or “Sport Plus” mode,
whereby the rolling movements of the vehicle
are reduced further, depending on the
selected mode.
f Please see the chapter “PORSCHE DYNAMIC
CHASSIS CONTROL (PDCC)” on page 211.
– The PDK transmission switches to a sporty gear-changing map and shortens the gear
shifting times when Sport mode is activated.
Gear changes take place faster. f
Please see the chapter ““SPORT” AND “SPORT
PLUS” MODE” on page 195.
– The electronic accelerator pedal reacts sooner, and the engine is more responsive to
throttle inputs. When Sport mode is switched
on and the vehicle is travelling at a speed of
less than 25 mph (40 km/h), this function is
activated only after the driver has floored the
accelerator pedal or released it briefly.
– The rpm limiter characteristic is “harder”. In other words: the engine is immediately
throttled when the performance limits are
reached (only in manual selection mode on
vehicles with PDK).
– The turbo overboost briefly increases the engine boost pressure in the engine speed
range from 2,500 rpm to approx. 4,000 rpm.
As a result, torque in this speed range is
increased by 70 Nm (52 ftlb.). This
considerably improves acceleration and
flexibility, particularly in the medium engine
speed range. This does not affect the
maximum power. Quickly flooring the
accelerator pedal acti vates turbo overboost
in the engine control system. Overboost has
an effective operating time of approx.
10 seconds. After this time, it can be re-
activated by quickly flooring the accelerator
pedal again. – PSM (Porsche Stability Management) control is
more sporty in “Sport Plus” mode. PSM
interventions are later than in Normal mode.
The driver can maneuver the vehicle with
greater agility at it s performance limits,
without having to dispense with the assistance
of PSM in emergency situations. This helps to
achieve optimal lap times, particularly on race
circuits with a dry road surface.
f Please see the chapter “PORSCHE STABILITY
MANAGEMENT (PSM)” on page 202.
– Adaptive cruise control regulates speed and distance more dynamically.
– The Auto Start Stop function is deactivated.
f Please see the chapter “AUTO START STOP
FUNCTION” on page 169.
– The rear spoiler extends earlier and retracts later (“Sport Plus” mode only).
f Please see the chapter “RETRACTABLE REAR
SPOILER” on page 214.
– The system switches from High Level.
f Please see the chapter “HIGH LEVEL” on
page 209.

Driving and Driving Safety
213
Switching “Sport” mode on and offfPress button .
When “Sport” mode is switched on, the
indicator light on the button lights up.
The word “SPORT” appears on the digital
speedometer.
A sporty gear-changing map is enabled and the
gear shifting times ar e shorter for the PDK
transmission.
A sporty driving style is recognized more quickly
and the gear-changing speeds are adapted to
driving performance.
Braking downshifts are initiated earlier. Downshifts
occur for small decelerations, even at higher revs.
Switching “Sport Plus” mode on and offf Press button .
When “Sport Plus” mode is switched on, the
indicator light on the button lights up.
The words “SPORT PLUS” appear on the digital
speedometer.
In "Sport Plus" mode, the PDK transmission
changes to a shift progra m designed for driving
on race circuits. 7th gear is not selected.
The gear-changing performance is enhanced
significantly again compared with Sport mode.
The turbo overboost function (brief torque
increase at full throttle) is activated on vehicles
with the Sport Chrono Turbo package.
“Sport”/“Sport Plus” and
“PASM Sport”/“PASM Sport Plus” mode Switching “Sport” or “Sport Plus” mode on and off
simultaneously activates and deactivates the
corresponding PASM mode (“PASM Sport” or
“PASM Sport Plus”).
The PASM mode can be sw itched manually if you
want to use the characteristics of “Sport” or
“Sport Plus” mode, but prefer a more comfortable
chassis setup.
f Press button (repeatedly).
The indicator light for the selected chassis
setup on the button lights up.
In addition, the selected chassis setup is
shown on the multi-function display in the
instrument panel for approx. 4 seconds.
For information on PASM:
f Please see the chapter “PORSCHE ACTIVE
SUSPENSION MANAGEMENT (PASM)” on
page 208.