I am still getting used to the driving habits of my wifes 2007 FL2 and I have noticed that during regular local non-motorway driving (30-50 mph) the transmission rarely if ever gets into 6th gear. I need to be doing 60 mph plus before 6th is ever reached, although I can manually force it into 6th at around 50-55 mph by pushing selector to the left and using the manual +/- oiptions. Below 50 mph it seems to spend most of its time in 4th and below. At 70 mph, the revs normally settle down to around 1750 rpm in 6th gear. Can anyone confirm whether this is normal shifting behaviour for this transmission from their own driving experience. The car has done 92K and apart from this the box still seems wonderfully smooth in its gear shifts, however I do plan to renew the transmission fluid shortly.

The box is adaptive so it will learn different driving traits, the shifting pattern becomes what it thinks you want, as well as what it thinks is best, however, it is also worth noting that it is not necessarily more economical driving around in 6th, so don't worry, I often use the S mode on the motorway and economy is fine. The difference between 5th and 6th isn't great in terms of rpm but if you are accelerating then you will probably use more fuel in 6th as you need to give it more throttle for a longer period of time.

The software is written with instruction for 6th to be selected above 60mph if the load is not excessive. Nothing to worry about. Jaguar x-type sport gone
Jaguar x-type 2.2d sport one of my best cars ever sadly gone
Freelander 2 GS auto 2008 most unreliable ever ! gladly gone
Freelander 2 GS manual 2013 only time will tell !

Is that not what a auto box does,always in the right gear for speed and or load.

Yes, but the load and speed are only two factors, driving style is another which is adaptive, when I accelerate I do so quickly, the box learns this and tends to hang onto 5th, if you accelerate leisurely the box will stay in 6th and plod up to its speed, it learns these traits and tends to adjust itself to them, this makes all cars quite different from each other. I think it is also part of the problem when you test drive a car, the box will be changing for the last driver initially, this can make the car seem jerky
And not smooth. It's a very good auto box, better than the C class box I had previously.

Gentlemen, many thanks for all the informative responses. I am familiar with the term 'adaptive' when applied to auto transmissions but my question for an adaptive system would be - if the box has learned and adapted the style for its previous owner, how does it re-adapt when the driving style of a new owner is different ?

Like most electronic bits of the car, it continually assesses the evidence of its sensors and can update its parameters. I understand it will readjust itself over 20 miles or so. Ex AA Series III LWB Safari - Gone
300TDi Disco (bought new - terrible car) sent back after 18 months
Freelander 1 Estate - leased, given back at end of lease
200TDi Disco (bought from a mate with 100,000 on the clock) - Gone
Disco 2 TD5 - sold and exported to France
FR2 TD4 GS - Gone
FR2 SD4 HSE - Now changed for a DS
New model ex-demo Evoque S 180 in white
Unable to order a new DS, so gave up. Now have a Volvo S90 Recharge.

For the adaptive learning stuff, take as a reference the fact that the initial learning is done like this:
1. Standing still.
2. Acceleration 0-60 mph with 25-35% throttle, up until 6th gear and hold 60 mph.
3. Coasting 60-0 mph within a minimum of 60 seconds.
4. Repeat 1-3 for 10 times.

And yes, there are some minimum/limit shift points that will not be changed ever. And that 60+ mph for 6th is one of them.