An apparatus for controlling an automotive vehicle having a drive power source, a transmission having a plurality of operating positions that are selectively established, and a manually operable vehicle accelerating member, the apparatus including a target-drive-force setting portion operable to determine a target vehicle drive force on the basis of an operating amount of the accelerating member and a presently selected one of the 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 the vehicle accelerating member, irrespective of a shifting action of the transmission, a first controlling portion having a relatively high operating response and operable to effect a transient control of a torque of the drive power source so that the actual vehicle drive force coincides with the target vehicle drive force after the shifting action of the transmission, and a second controlling portion having lower operating response than the first controlling portion but is capable of continuously controlling the torque of the drive power source, the second controlling portion being operable to effect a continuous control of the torque of the drive power source following the transient control by the first controlling portion, so that the actual vehicle drive force coincides with said target vehicle drive force after the shifting action of the transmission.