I am a novice in the world of MINI CVT! I have just started experimenting with it.I have been really lazy so far and I would just put my car in D and just drive away.I put the car in SD other day and it was just superb:fantastic engine moans and groans,precise acceleration annd cornering.The chage in the driving and road holding characteristics of the car was amazing.The car was almost flying on the motorways.I loved the experience so much that I thought I must explore a bit.

When I have pushed the throttle sideways toward me,the D changes to SD.How do I then put into the M or manual mode ?

Can you drive the car in a Manual SD mode at all?

I have not driven a manual car for ages and I have nearly forgotten most of the gear knowledge.My understanding is that I would need a 2nd gear for downhill roads.On the English countryroads which are bendy and hilly,I then have to put less pressure on the brake mechanics(which I needed if I drove in D mode).

Would a kind soul please give me a 60-second review of the gears in the context of MINI CVT.

Many thanks in anticipation.

Would a kind soul please give me a 60-second review of the gears in the context of MINI CVT.
I suggest reviewing the careful work of many MINI2 members in the Sticky threads above.

One example is the CVT FAQ (http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41926).

Here is the distillate of my understanding so far going through the threads on CVT here and elsewhere -

1 D mode is best for fuel economy and perhaps best for the Motorway driving.Responsive in high speed and kickdowns.Hold the gas pedal at any position less than the detent (hard spot - feel for it when you drive) and the engine will stay at a fairly constant rpm while the MINI gains speed. Press the pedal all the way down to the floor and the CVT will run up to the peak 6,000 rpm and then "shift" down, and run the rpm up to 6,000 again as the car accelerates.The CVT will do this as long as the pedal is held to or near the floor (past the detent).

2 SD is the fun mode.Precise and responsive.Good for starting at lights.Also good for bendy roads.Nice cornering.In my experience,the car feels slow in high speeds in SD mode.Sluggish repsonse to kickdown.

The engine rpm will be approximately 800 rpm higher than D mode. To get there, move the gear stick to the right from D mode. The CVT behavior will be similar to D mode. There will be more engine braking in SD mode. It may be used it like a passing gear. Put it into SD when preparing to pass another vehicle to increase the engine rpm toward maximum power.

3 If the gear stick in SD mode is flicked back and forth,manual gear change kicks in.(Steptronics) The respective gear is then displayed on the screen.

Gears 1 and 2 for slow speed and downhill.

Gears 3, 4,5 for open roads.

Interestingly,you have to keep your foot on the gas while changing the gear. Do not lift off like a conventional manual gear.You will have 6 "gears" to choose from in +/- mode. The engine management computer will not let you select a gear and engine rpm combination that is likely to damage the vehicle. e.g., you cannot shift into 6th gear at 25 mph or into 1 at 50 mph. It will also automatically "downshift" if you slow too much and upshift if the rpms go too high. You can downshift just like a stick, but without need for your foot on the gas and clutch work. Also, whilst in a higher gear such as 5 in +/- mode, if the car is going slow enough, pressing the accelerator past the detent will cause the CVT to shift to a lower gear. If you were on a long downhill grade, you could put the CVT into +/- and choose a lower gear for engine braking.

It is possible to change for D to SD through to Steptronics seamlessly during driving without harming the car.

I resisted coming back into this thread as the next contributor because of the substantial resources already gathered in MINI2. He, techiedoc, does raise a valid point in a PM exchange: the existing threads take work to read through, and for a novice there simply may be a better way to get started.

These other threads were put together and contributed by dedicated people who have worked very hard over a long time to share their experiences, suggestions, hints, frustrations, and joys.

When someone new has a well thought-through question, I've seen the regulars here dive in to help!

This specific thread shouldn't have a new generalized discussion about how the basic functions of the gearbox work, but...
Could we/should we rev up the idea of editing a Frequently Asked Questions reference for MINI2.com?

Which threads in this now-combined Forum on the CVT-equipped cars and the Cooper S Automatic deserve more work to edit, prune, consolidate, explain, or list items, procedures, concepts, or experience that would be useful and supportive to members joining MINI2 now?

From the Stickies above, at least two threads were put there to generate critique, suggestions, and challenges: CVT Functionality Map (http://www.mini2.com/cvt/MINI_CVT_040930_VT1F_Map.pdf), and CVT Frequently Asked Questions (http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41926).

Have at it if you will!