Row-your-own driving has not disappeared from showrooms entirely, even as automakers push dual-clutch and torque-converter automatics across most of their lineups. A handful of sports cars, from affordable roadsters to twin-turbo coupes, still let buyers order a clutch pedal and a stick rather than settle for paddle shifters. Here are nine sports cars enthusiasts can still buy new with a manual transmission.
1. Porsche 911: The Purist’s PDK Alternative
The Porsche 911 still ships with a proper stick for buyers willing to skip the PDK dual-clutch, offered as a 7-speed manual on the Carrera T and GTS along with select GT-division models. Enthusiasts consider the manual 911 the purist’s choice, pairing a shorter final drive with a rev-matching function drivers can switch off entirely.
Porsche has narrowed the manual’s footprint over the years, so it now rides on specific trims rather than the full lineup, and shoppers should confirm availability before ordering since not every 911 variant offers three pedals. Resale values for manual 911s have historically outpaced PDK-equipped cars at auction.
2. Toyota GR Supra: The Six-Speed That Arrived Late
Toyota launched the fifth-generation Supra in 2019 with an eight-speed automatic as the only choice, a decision that drew steady criticism from the enthusiasts the car was built for. That changed in 2023, when Toyota added a six-speed manual gearbox to the 3.0-liter inline-six model, with revised suspension tuning and a shorter final drive to suit it.
The four-cylinder version remains automatic-only, so the manual is tied to the more expensive six-cylinder car. It is also one of the few sports cars where the stick arrived after launch rather than disappearing, an unusual counterexample to an industry steadily retiring the third pedal.
3. Mazda MX-5 Miata: The Affordable Manual Benchmark
The Mazda MX-5 Miata remains the benchmark affordable manual sports car, sold with a 6-speed manual as the transmission most buyers choose over the optional automatic across the Club and Grand Touring trims. Mazda has kept the lightweight roadster’s stick shift a signature feature across four generations spanning more than three decades.
Because the manual is not confined to a single expensive trim, the Miata offers the broadest access to a new manual sports car of anything on this list, with sticker prices starting well under $30,000. Its light curb weight also means the manual gearbox does more of the car’s talking than horsepower does.
4. Toyota GR86: Built Around Three Pedals First
The Toyota GR86 pairs its naturally aspirated flat-four with a 6-speed manual that Toyota positions as the coupe’s default enthusiast transmission, sold alongside an automatic but engineered first around three pedals. The lightweight coupe shares its manual gearbox and rear-wheel-drive layout with the Subaru BRZ from the same joint development program.
Toyota has kept the manual GR86 in dealer inventory at a relatively low starting price, making it one of the more attainable ways to buy a new manual coupe rather than hunt the used market. Its light curb weight keeps the modestly powered engine from feeling outmatched even without a turbo.
5. Subaru BRZ: The GR86’s Manual Twin
The Subaru BRZ offers the same 6-speed manual as its Toyota GR86 counterpart, built on a shared rear-wheel-drive platform the two automakers co-developed specifically around a driver-focused, three-pedal experience. Subaru sells the manual BRZ across Premium and Limited trims rather than reserving it for a single pricier package.
That trim-wide availability means shoppers are not forced into a stripped base model just to get the manual gearbox, unlike some rivals on this list. The BRZ’s naturally aspirated engine and light weight give the manual shifts more relevance to lap times than raw horsepower would.
6. Ford Mustang: V8 and a Clutch, If You Pick Right
The Ford Mustang still offers a manual transmission, but only on the V8-powered GT and Dark Horse trims — Ford dropped the manual option from the four-cylinder EcoBoost Mustang on the current generation. Buyers who want three pedals in a V8 pony car now need to step up past the base engine to get one.
That narrowing makes the Mustang one of the last mainstream V8 cars sold with a clutch pedal in the U.S. market, a distinction that is shrinking as rivals move to automatic-only lineups. Shoppers should confirm the manual box on the window sticker before assuming any Mustang trim includes it.
7. Nissan Z: A Twin-Turbo Coupe That Still Rows Its Own Gears
The Nissan Z pairs its twin-turbocharged V6 with a 6-speed manual that comes standard on the Performance trim, giving buyers a modern turbocharged sports car that still rewards clutch work. Nissan built the manual into the current-generation Z from launch rather than adding it as an afterthought.
The manual Z’s standard-trim availability means shoppers do not have to chase a rare, high-priced special edition to get one, unlike several other cars on this list. Its twin-turbo output also makes it one of the most powerful manual coupes sold new today.
8. Honda Civic Type R: No Automatic Option, Ever
The Honda Civic Type R is sold exclusively with a 6-speed manual in the U.S. market — Honda has never offered an automatic on the hot hatch, making the transmission a defining part of the car rather than an option. The current FL5-generation Type R keeps that manual-only formula alongside a limited-slip front differential.
Because there is no automatic alternative, every Civic Type R sold new comes with a clutch pedal, which keeps it firmly on any list of cars buyers can still get with three pedals. Its manual-only stance also helps the hatchback hold resale value better than automatic-only rivals.
9. BMW M2: A No-Cost Stick in a Turbocharged M Car
The BMW M2 offers a 6-speed manual as a no-cost alternative to the standard dual-clutch automatic, a rarer choice among modern turbocharged M cars that have mostly moved toward paddle shifters. BMW extended the manual option to the high-performance M2 CS variant as well as the standard M2.
That breadth means buyers are not forced to pick a stripped-down trim just to row their own gears, unlike some rivals on this list. The manual M2 has also drawn strong early demand from enthusiasts specifically because BMW has trimmed manual availability elsewhere in its lineup.
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