I am curious as to the best way to race the crossfire with an automatic. Do you think it would be quicker to leave the thing in drive from a stop and have it down shift for it and then give you the big thrust or shift in manual mode so you can control the shift point. This brings up another point I understand this is hard on the engine but when you are racing in manual mode in the autostick is it more beneficial to not shift at all and let the tranny over ride at like 6k rpm and just shift manually when you get to 4-5k, I've noticed not to shift at all lets you get some more rpms in but it also seems to lag for a seconds before it shifts. The other part is when you are racing from a roll, is it better to say have it in drive and just punch the thing or have it in manual and downshift then punch it, I notice that when I leave it in drive and just punch it no matter really what speed im going it gives me a nice kick but when I downshift in manual mode it only really gives me a huge kick going from 2nd to 1st which isn't very likely when racing or from 3rd to 2nd, and 4th to 3rd is decent depending on what speed your going...

 

Well if your stopped in auto, you will be in first (assuming your in summer mode). Also if you are in 2nd and rolling and stomp it, it will usually drop down a gear on its own as long as its not redlining. Also if you are going from a dead stop i found that flooring it and trying to use the auto-stick isn't the best since there is some shift lag. But if you leave it in auto it gets pretty good shift points. Holds in first until redline then shift, then 2nd under about 4,500 rpm. If your going from a roll in 2nd gear don't just slam the gas or you will lag, downshift, then speed up then shift again, roll into the gas. Also to get a good launch i found this works better good: press left foot hard on brake, use your right foot to rev up to about 1,800 rpm. Any more than that your back wheels will break loose and spin. So slowly roll the gas up to 1,800 rpm, and right before you break loose let go of gas and you will fly off the line. If you spin after you let go, start with a little less gas.

 

I would suggest getting a manual for the track... Your ability to balance the clutch and revs while exiting a fast corner in a rear drive XF would be much improved without a auto box.

 

who said anything about the track... jk.

 

I was assuming you were talking about on the street. The Crossfire isn't made for the track, nor drag racing. But if your gonna do it, do it right.

 

Well said, I agree 100%.

 

Boy is HDDP in for a surprise. He actually thought you could take these out and race them on a track !!!

 

LOL. He does a damn good job. but it wasn't designed for the track. I don't think i have a race car or anything, but i love the pep and what people think about the car is their own business.

 

My autostick did fine on the track. I was actually quite impressed at how it 'learned' what was going on in hard turns and would hold a mid to low gear longer to let me power out.

This may not be a car 'made for the track' but it sure as hell is a fun car on the track.

 

Racing...

If you leave it in auto and floor it, there is a delay while the car downshifts. If you were street racing, which i wouldn't recommend, you will surely loose a couple of car lengths depending on the other car.

While at the drag strip, it pretty much reacted the same way whether i left it in full auto or put it into first and then i let it shift on its own. Roll up to the staging line, wait until the yellows begin to roll down (assuming your in test and tune tree). As the lights roll down, while holding the brake pedal with your left foot, begin to roll on the gas until you get right around 1,500 - 1,800 rpms, if you time it right, you will react those rpms just as the last yellow flashes. Simply side step the brake pedal and roll onto the gas. I netted 13.33 @ 102 mph 3 weeks ago, i'll be going to the race track again this weekend with my club.

As for at a HPDE (road course), i've never tried it.

As for Autox, well i'll let you know soon as i'll be autoxing my "6" sometime soon. But i would imagine you would shift and leave it in 2nd gear as it appears to be the right gear and speed for most autox courses.

 

If your stopped you won't get the delay because your already in first so there is no downshift.

 

that's also a sure fire way to beat most cars off traffic lights.
have your left foot on the brake and right foot on the gas.
as soon as the lights go green you stomp your right foot and release the brake with your left foot.
i usually beat a lot of cars off the traffic lights like that in our volvo.
crossfire is manual though.

 

yea that's what I was saying, and you can rev the gas a little bit before it turns green.