Patent ID: 7052435

Claim:
An apparatus for controlling an automotive vehicle including an engine with an intake valve and/or an exhaust valve having a variable operating characteristic, a transmission having a plurality of operating positions that are selectively established, and a manually operable vehicle accelerating member, said apparatus comprising: a target-drive-force setting portion operable to determine a target vehicle drive force on the basis of an operating amount of the manually operable vehicle accelerating member and a presently selected one of said plurality of operating positions of the transmission, such that the determined target vehicle drive force permits a smooth change of an actual vehicle drive force with a change of the operating amount of said vehicle accelerating member, irrespective of a shifting action of the transmission; and a drive-power-source-torque control portion operable to control a torque of the engine, by controlling at least one of a lift amount, an operating period of an opening and closing action and an operating timing of the intake valve and/or the exhaust valve, so that the actual vehicle drive force coincides with said target vehicle drive force after the shifting action of the transmission.