A method and device for modifying throttle control characteristics of a throttle control in a vehicle, the vehicle including an engine coupled to engine driven vehicle wheels via a stepped gear mechanical transmission, and where requested engine torque at a given engine speed of the engine is controlled as a function of positions of the throttle control. When sensing a gear shift to a vehicle high speed gear, a control unit modifies the characteristics so the engine torque and engine speed will be controlled via said throttle control along a first set of relatively flat curves, when the curves are plotted in a diagram with engine torque on the y-axis and engine speed on the x-axis. When sensing a gear shift to a vehicle low speed gear, the characteristics are modified so the engine torque and engine speed will be controlled via the throttle control along a second set of curves that are steeper than the first set of curves, so that when driving with a vehicle low speed and for a certain change in engine speed, a greater change in torque will be provided than when controlling is done in accordance with the first set of curves.