There’s nothing quite like driving a manual – mastering the clutch, the heel-toe downshift, enjoying the additional involvement that comes from changing gears yourself. There’s the added mastery over your machine, and getting to potentially pass on the sacred skill to a new generation.
In 2024, there are still plenty of brand new manual vehicles available – and plenty with proper driver’s appeal, without costing a fortune. In fact, most of the cars on our list today are well within reach.
And even if brand new manual sports cars decline into oblivion, there’ll be manual commercial vehicles for a while yet. Last year, of the 841,610 new cars and SUVs sold, just 13,753 were manual – or 1.63 percent. But in the commercial category – which also comprises dual-cab utes – there were 14,446 manual vehicles sold, in a total of 249,207 – 5.79 percent, three-and-a-half times more than regular cars.
Pleasingly, there are plenty of manual models still available that aren’t a Renault Master van. Ford will sell you a 5.0-litre, naturally aspirated V8 Mustang with a six-speed manual ‘box for $77,002, while there’s the Mazda MX-5, Renault Megane RS, BMW M3 and M4, Hyundai i20 N and i30 N, Lotus Emira, Porsche Boxster and Cayman.
For now, though, here are our top five.
Porsche 911 GT3
Okay, so we don’t all have $417,400 weighing down a random bank account somewhere – nor the time, temper and wherewithal to suck up to a Porsche dealer and get your name on some ‘list’. But if you do, you’ll be blessed with probably the greatest manual sports car there has been, one whose 4.0-litre naturally aspirated flat-six screams to 9000rpm in all its 375kW/470Nm glory, totally mechanically obedient to your left foot and left hand. It doesn’t get better than this.
Toyota GR Corolla
While you might have a hard time convincing people at the pub about the awesomeness of the three-cylinder Toyota Corolla you just bought, it’s best just to give them a drive. The clattery, characterful turbo 1.6-litre three-pot of the GR Corolla belts out a sturdy 221kW and 370Nm, and the three-pedal, six-speed manual gearbox means you can either surf its boosty mid-range torque or reach for a zingy redline – whatever suits. A modern day Lancer Evolution, we are big fans of the $64,190 GR Corolla, and the sole manual gearbox option is no small reason why.
Honda Civic Type R
It’s no surprise the makers of the S2000 and NSX get a mention on this list, as the six-speed gearshift in the current Civic Type R is so delightfully mechanical and slick, you’ll find yourself sitting in it, parked, just to row through the gears. The clutch is also full of feel yet light, but the most telling thing about this seminal, 235kW hot hatch is the gearshift and pedal feel are far from its strongest assets. They would be its unbelievable handling and chassis. A very well spent $72,600 (before on-roads).
Toyota GR86 and Subaru BRZ
If this was a list of best-feeling gear-changes, neither the rear-drive, boxer-engine Toyota GR86 or its Subaru BRZ twin would rate a mention. Their six-speed ’boxes have a notch-y recalcitrance like they’re permanently cold and brand new, yet it’s the manual gearbox in these little budget coupes that help make them the engaging driver’s delights that they are. That’s especially now that they have 174kW and 250Nm, the latter of which now much more linearly delivered (rather than in a caterpillar-shaped line). The $45,390 GR86 GTS would be our pick.
BMW M2
BMW’s new M2 has more settings than the outdoor furniture section at Bunnings which is why opting for the six-speed manual is the way to go – for mastery over this brawny, 338kW/550Nm rear-drive punk. There’s so much software at play that adding this mechanical layer is a very welcome thing, even if it affects the 0-100km/h time and fuel economy in minuscule yet measurably adverse ways. This one will do an abracadabra on $121,700 sitting in your (suspiciously plump) bank account.
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