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Manual sports cars are a dying breed. But with the era of electrification firmly upon us, “speed” no longer equals “luxury,” and it means enthusiasts are seeking unique experiences for their weekend rides. That could mean a limited-edition V12 supercar to some, but for the rest of us, it means a lightweight manual sports car. Yet, with ever-tightening emissions regulations and a younger customer base that has never learnt the art of rowing gears, the era of manual sports cars might be behind us sooner than we think.
Despite these challenges, a handful of brands are doing what they can to keep the manual transmission alive. There might only be 16 sports cars to choose from in Australia, but Porsche offers a no-cost-option manual transmission on their 911, and Honda will only sell you a Civic Type R with a manual. BMW, Hyundai, and Toyota still have three sports cars with manual transmissions, but for how long?
That’s the million-dollar question we’re all asking, but for now, all we know is that these are the sports cars still available with a manual transmission.
Highlights from our list include the following options:
Now you’ve read the highlights, let’s check out the complete list.
Price: from AUD$117,700 plus on-road costs.
The M2 is the first of three BMW sports cars still available with a manual transmission. It’s the entry point to the line-up, but with the same S58 engine and gearbox from the larger, more powerful, and more expensive BMW M3 and M4, it’s no slouch. Previous generations of the M2 were a little lighter, but it’s 2026, and the fact that we still have a two-door, relatively lightweight, manual, rear wheel drive BMW sports car should be enough to put a smile on the face of any enthusiast.
Price: from AUD$155,760 plus on-road costs.
It’s remarkable that you can still get your hands on a manual BMW M3 in 2026. Really, it is. The world has turned its back on sporty sedans, and even here in Australia, most buyers are choosing the automatic M3 Competition xDrive over the stick-shift model. Where the automatic Competition produces 390 kW (530 hp), the manual makes 353 kW (480 hp), so it’s almost a second slower from 0-100km/h, but the trade-off for the manual is enough to convince some buyers.
Price: from AUD$162,140 plus on-road costs.
It’s tough not to think of the BMW M4 as nothing more than an M3 with two fewer doors, and that’s mostly because it is. Still, the fact that you can buy a large coupe in 2026 with a manual transmission is enough to grant it at least a little bit of street cred.
Price: from AUD$78,990 plus on-road costs.
The Ford Mustang was the top-selling sports car in Australia for 2025 with 4,052 sales. It’s the only manual V8 still on sale, so it’s understandable that it pulls on the heartstrings of Australians who remember the Holden Monaros and Ford Falcons XR8s of the past. While early ‘Dark Horse’ models were available with a Tremec 6-speed manual with rev-matching, they evolved from the Shelby GT350, a limited-production variant that has now been discontinued. The available Mustang GT produces 347 kW of power, and it’s quite literally the last of a dying breed. Manual, rear-wheel drive, V8, coupe, what more do you want?
Price: from AUD$79,000 drive-away.
It’s rare for a manufacturer to forgo sales for the sake of purity, but that’s exactly what Honda has done with the Civic Type R. It’s only available with a manual transmission, which rules out many buyers. While the Volkswagen Golf R retired the manual years ago due to slowing sales, the Honda has stood tall with its raw driving experience, often considered the purest of all, outside of a Porsche GT3.
Price: from AUD$35,500 plus on-road costs.
Like the Honda, the Hyundai i20 N is only available with a manual transmission. We don’t know how much longer this micro hot-hatch will be around for, as emissions regulations and slowing sales are likely to get the better of it sooner or later. But for now, it’s the most affordable way to get yourself into a new manual sports car in 2026.
Price: from AUD$50,000 plus on-road costs.
One of the last actually affordable hot hatches around with a manual transmission, the Hyundai i30 N is a rare thing. Once the brand introduced the DCT variant, the writing was on the wall for the manual, but it’s survived for now, and we’re happy about that.
Price: from AUD$252,990 plus on-road costs (V6 SE).
It looks like a supercar, sounds like one, and handles extremely well, but it costs about $100,000 less than a Porsche. Of course, we’re talking about the Lotus Emira, which is still available with a manual in supercharged V6 form. Originally, the Emira was available in a ‘First Edition’ model, priced from AUD$184,990 before on-roads, so the price increase is a tough one to stomach.
Price: from AUD$38,280 plus on-road costs.
The Mazda MX-5 remains the quintessential manual experience to this day. It’s affordable, fun, looks cool, and isn’t as in-your-face as something like a Ford Mustang. If you’re looking for a fun weekender, this could be the quickest way to get your foot in the door with a manual.
Price: from AUD$76,160 plus on-road costs.
Don’t forget about the Nissan Z! We did. But it’s still on sale, with a manual. They’ve saved the slushy automatic for the high-performance Nismo model here in Australia, which is sad because overseas markets will soon get it with the manual. Give it to us, Nissan Australia, please!
Price: from AUD$306,800 plus on-road costs.
Porsche has stopped selling the 718 (Cayman/Boxster), so the manual entry point to the shift-it-yourself lifestyle is the Carrera T (from AUD$306,800 plus on-road costs and options). Still, the ‘entry point’ to the 911 range remains one of the best choices. Smallest engine, best handling bits, it’s a recipe for driving perfection (including a wooden gear knob). If that doesn’t sound like enough, check out the track-oriented Porsche 911 GT3 (from AUD$446,700 plus on-road costs). You’ll need a long, substantial purchase history with the brand to secure one.
Price: from AUD$43,790 plus on-road costs.
If you’re not interested in a Mazda MX-5, then you should probably consider a Subaru BRZ or Toyota GR86. Both are available with a 6-speed manual transmission, making it one of the cheapest entry points to the new, suddenly luxurious world of manual shifting.
Price: from AUD$48,190 plus on-road costs.
Still in desperate need of a power upgrade, the Subaru WRX has at least one thing going for it. You can get it with a manual transmission, and if you choose the tS Spec B variant (from $61,490 before on-roads), you get plenty of spicy bits, such as 19-inch wheels, high-performance Bridgestone rubber, big six-piston Brembo brakes, a large rear wing, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, and rig-hugging Recaro front bucket seats.
Price: from AUD$43,240 plus on-road costs.
See Subaru BRZ. Seriously, it’s the same car, but we actually prefer the BRZ’s front bumper design.
Price: from AUD$55,490 plus on-road costs.
Unlike the RAV4, HiLux, and Land Cruiser, there is no real business case for the Toyota GR Yaris. It exists only as a homologation special, born from Toyota Gazoo Racing’s need to produce a road-going car to certify their World Rally Championship (WRC) competitor. It’s also a favourite of Toyota’s CEO, who is also the brand’s lead test driver, Morizo. What they did with this homologation is turn it into a rally car for the road, and while it’s now available with an automatic transmission, the only logical choice is the manual unless your better half can’t shift it.
Price: from AUD$67,990 plus on-road costs.
With the success of the GR Yaris, it made sense for Toyota to take the proven formula and fit it into a larger, friendlier platform like the Corolla. Here, it loses some of the small-car, lots-of-power formula that made the GR Yaris so special, but it’s infinitely more usable as a daily driver, and you can actually fit people in the back seat when needed.
Sports cars are where the manual transmission makes the most sense, but we’ve also rounded up a list of cars that still offer a standard gearbox in 2026. Most of these models retain a manual gearbox only in their most affordable “base” grades to keep entry prices low, but there are still some gems to be found, including the brand-new Toyota HiLux.
Journalist – Automotive & Tech
Ben lives in Sydney, Australia. He has a Bachelor's Degree (Media, Technology and the Law) from Macquarie University (2020). Outside of his studies, he has spent the last decade heavily involved in the automotive, technology and fashion world. Turning his …
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