1. In a data processing system having a processor pipeline with a number of functional stages, a method comprising: determining when at least a threshold number of first-type instructions are scheduled to be executed; and automatically changing an execution cycle frequency of one or more of the functional stages from a first cycle frequency to a second, pre-established higher cycle frequency, which enables more efficient execution and higher execution throughput of the first-type instructions, wherein the cycle frequency of only the one or more functional stages are switched to the higher cycle frequency independent of the cycle frequency of the other functional stages in the processor pipeline.