N-Neutral; D-Automatic Forward Gear; Shifting To Lower Gear (Kick Down) - Alfa Romeo 156 Owner's Manual

N - Neutral
This is the neutral position to be used when
the car has to be pushed or towed.
WARNING
With the engine idling,
when moving the lever to
position N the car tends to move
even if it is on level ground: keep
the brake pedal pressed when the
lever is in position N.
D - Automatic forward gear
This is the position to be used always un-
der "normal" driving conditions, for exam-
ple on the motorway and urban roads and
when wanting to minimise fuel consumption
(combined with the CITY driving mode).
When the lever is in this position, the gear-
box automatically selects the four available
speeds. It is also the position to be used
for the ICE driving mode.
WARNING
With the engine idling and
the lever in position D the
vehicle tends to move: always
keep the brake pedal pressed un-
til moving off.
Shifting to lower gear
(Kick down)
In the event of the need to accelerate
heavily (e.g. for overtaking) pressing the
accelerator fully home beyond the stiff point
will cause automatic kick down to a shorter
ratio, engine speed conditions permitting.
Releasing the accelerator pedal as soon as
the stiff point has been passed, the gearbox
shifts to the optimum ratio in relation to the
driving mode, throttle opening position and
selector lever position.
The Kick-down function is advised only for
overtaking or fast accelerating to avoid in-
creasing fuel consumption.
Kick-down is cut off automatically in the
ICE driving mode.
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