Drivelogic not so logical?

[M4newbie]

I've finally figured out most of the drive configurations of my new M4. However, I am in a quandary as to why, when in DCT manual (S) mode, the car still wants me to select from three Drive"logic" modes. Isn't manual mode just that - manual - meaning that I choose when to shift?

On the freeway, I use Efficient/Comfort M Drive settings with the DCT in D mode while in town I use Sport Plus M Drive settings and of course put the DCT in S mode. However, even in S mode, the Drivelogic is still set to either 1, 2 or 3 - I cannot find a way to set it to "off".

Is there a way to turn Drivelogic off when shifting manually?

[gatorfast]

Read your owners manual. The 1, 2 or 3 determine how aggressively the car will up/down shift.

[mkoesel]

While you are obviously manually selecting the gear ratio when in manual mode, the ECU is still in charge of automatically doing other things for you such as controlling the clutches. As gatorfast said, the Drivelogic setting is used to customize that functionality.

Think of driving a car with a manual transmission. You can shift aggressively to make the tires bark on the 1->2 or 2->3 upshift, or you can shift in a more calm manner for a smoother experience. This and other similar tradeoffs are what the manual Drivelogic modes seek to provide.

[blockdoc]

Originally Posted by M4newbie

I've finally figured out most of the drive configurations of my new M4. However, I am in a quandary as to why, when in DCT manual (S) mode, the car still wants me to select from three Drive"logic" modes. Isn't manual mode just that - manual - meaning that I choose when to shift?

On the freeway, I use Efficient/Comfort M Drive settings with the DCT in D mode while in town I use Sport Plus M Drive settings and of course put the DCT in S mode. However, even in S mode, the Drivelogic is still set to either 1, 2 or 3 - I cannot find a way to set it to "off".

Is there a way to turn Drivelogic off when shifting manually?

It cannot be turned off for the reasons outlined. The process happens regardless as the DCT actually has real clutches which the computer operates. The "Drivelogic" selection merely allows you to select how aggressively the shifts are made. While it is personal preference, the GENERAL consensus around here his the the S3 is a bit too jerky and can upset the balance of the chassis during aggressive shifting (especially with modded power). YMMV

[M4newbie]

Thanks all and I DID read the manual thank you, but it isn't clear that the Drive logic is ALWAYS engaged regardless of whether you're in M1, M2, straight manual as well as in "auto" drive. Appreciate the replies. And in fact, believe it or not, I did read the entire manual. Not all of it is clear in many spots.

[CanAutM3]

Drivelogic is actually quite logical :

S1 is comfort oriented, the DCT will do smooth and seamless upshifts by slipping the clutches even at high RPM. While these shifts are smooth, they are not as efficient acceleration wise because some energy is lost in clutch slip. On downshifts, it will mostly use clutch slip to match the revs with no engine blip also for smother shifts; while this is smoother, it also takes longer to execute. I find it ideal for the leisurely daily drive with the engine in Efficient.

S3 is oriented towards maximum performance. On upshifts, it will make sharp "power shifts" to recuperate the inertia of the engine RPM drop for maximal acceleration. That energy recuperation is felt in a forward jolt on upshift. However, when the sensors detect the car to be under lateral load, the DCT will execute a seamless smooth shift to avoid upsetting the chassis while cornering. Downshifts are the crispest and most immediate in S3 with throttle blip rev matching, but they are also less smooth and cause a brief interruption of deceleration when under engine braking. S3 can only be really be appreciated with DSC fully off. Even MDM will intervene frequently when using S3. I find it ideal for a dry race track with DSC fully off and the engine in Sport+.

S2 is a lesser extreme level of performance than S3. It still does powershifts on upshifts and throttle blip rev matching on downshifts, but the shifts are smoother with more clutch slip. It is perfect when using MDM. I use it for spirited street driving with MDM activated or on a wet race track with the engine in Sport or Sport+.

On the F8X, BMW significantly simplified Drivelogic with 3 levels in each mode. Imagine, on the E9X, there were 6 manual mode levels and 5 automatic mode Drivelogic levels.