It'll go into 7th if you coast long enough. You can also manually select it using the paddle shift and it should stay there until you press the gas pedal far enough down to downshift it.

 

This may be true for the C300s but I have not found this to be true for the C450. It holds 5th and will not upshift unless you use the paddles. As soon as you exit manual shifting mode is will downshift back to 5th.

 

I tried to get it into 7th on my last two drives to/from home (about 20 miles) with solid stretches of 80 mph freeway. It never went into 7th unless I manually shift it using the paddles. As a matter of fact, it stays in 5th a lot of the time. So maybe the programming is different for different builds (I have a Jan 2015 build) or there was too much traffic and I didn't coast long enough. I also have pretty much a lead foot so maybe the car has also adjusted to my aggressive driving...

Sort of a shame as I like Sport+ but don't want to be in 5th or 6th when just cruising on the highway.

 

I have an update. I was able to move to D7 on Sport mode only when I crossed 140 km/hr.

 

Sport and Sport+ also engine break by downshifting earlier then comfort. Sport+ will stay in 5th for quite a while, up to around 80 or so. 80-100+ will stay in 6th. I haven't had it drop to 7th which is probably because I will never cruise along at 115mph.

Sport gets out of 5th in a more sensible time like 65-70. Sport will drop to 7th after 80mph. Can't remember the exact spot. Il

Overall I dig sport mode for backroads and regular driving. Sport plus is better on the high way. I also use the paddles a lot of tweak the shift points. Sport plus hangs in 3 and 5th longer then I would like.

 

you are thinking BMW, Mercedes starts in D1 in all modes.

 

Not for the C43 (and probably other models).


Eco/Comfort it starts in D2. Sport+ D1

 

C400 starts in D2 in comfort and eco modes. I bet all the 6 cylinders are programmed that way.

 

Yerp. C43/c450 and C63/C63s all start in 2nd gear when in comfort or eco. They have enough torque to make 1st gear starts unnecessary for comfort or eco.