As you might know, even the most basic cars come standard with driving modes these days. The three primary modes you’ll find in most cars are Eco, Normal, and Sport. It’s a relatively modern phenomenon in the automotive world and directly results from cars getting more driver assist features, like traction control and stability control systems, and more computer-controlled systems like electronic throttle bodies, electronic power steering, and brake-by-wire.
BMW popularized driving modes with a basic “Sport” button in its M models, and in the beginning, it did nothing more than improve the throttle sensitivity (giving you 100% throttle at only 50% pedal travel) and force an automatic gearbox to hold onto a gear for much longer and downshift sooner. These Sport buttons did nothing more than make the car feel more aggressive, though they arguably did nothing to increase straight-line speed.
After manufacturers realized they could use the car’s systems to increase entertainment, they started developing more modes, including track mode for closed-circuit driving courses. Almost every vehicle with a Track Mode comes with a warning that you’re only allowed to use it on closed circuit courses and that it’s the driver’s responsibility to adhere to these rules.
But we all know using track mode can be pretty fun on empty public roads, if only to enhance handling and get more rotation out of the rear end.
Let’s look at the topic more in-depth to understand these systems’ benefits fully.
