The Most Exciting Manual Cars Confirmed For 2027 (So Far)

The vast majority of vehicles in the U.S. do not offer a manual transmission. According to the 2025 EPA Automotive Trends Report, manual transmissions were installed in 35% of all new vehicles back in 1980, but have dropped to less than 1% of total production since 2021. A lot of this has to do with the greater fuel-efficiency of automatics with their higher gear counts, which has eliminated manuals from most vehicles. In fact, there are only a few manual SUVs you can buy new in 2026.

But take heart, manual lovers: there are several new vehicles slated for manufacturers' 2027 lineups that are bringing back the manual transmission. Granted, these are enthusiast-oriented cars, in which the thrill of added driver involvement gained by shifting your own gears is an integral part of their appeal. But this is precisely the segment where the manual transmission will simply not die, based on manual sales of vehicles like the Subaru BRZ (90% manual), Porsche 911 GT3 Touring (83% manual), and Toyota GR Corolla (71% manual). The moral of the story is that if you build the right car and offer a manual transmission, it will sell.

So let's highlight some vehicles that will arrive in 2027 with a manual transmission. They come from four different manufacturers, located in the countries of Germany and Japan. Two of them are sedans, while the other three are sports cars. The good news for those who truly want to save the manuals is that this will increase the options for buyers who want three pedals.

The 2027 Porsche 911 Carrera S with the MT package had its debut at the 2026 Monterey Car Week event. This is a model that will be made exclusively for North American Porsche customers, who buy a higher percentage of manual-shifting cars. It will feature a six-speed manual transmission, the same one used in the existing 911 Carrera T, as part of its standard equipment. But Porsche has upgraded the performance of the Carrera S over the 911 Carrera T, which our review thought was the best new 911.

In Porsche's words, these upgrades, "...prioritize the joy of driving over maximum acceleration while offering an even more powerful engine..." The Porsche 911 Carrera S will be offered in both coupe and convertible forms, but only with rear-wheel drive. Improvements on the outside include standard sport suspension that lowers the car 10mm, rear-axle steering, special exhaust tuning, titanium exhaust tips, SportDesign front fascia, and center-lock wheels that weigh 17 pounds less than the standard version. Inside, the 911 Carrera S gives you four-way sport seats, walnut shift knob, and the Sport Chrono as standard.

The 2027 Porsche 911 Carrera S with the MT package is powered by a 3.0-liter twin-turbocharged flat-six producing 473 horsepower. This is 85 horses more than the 911 Carrera T, which gives the S more go, quoted by Porsche as being able to do the 0-60 mph sprint in 3.9 seconds, with a top speed of 191 mph. Pricing of the Porsche 911 Carrera S with the MT package starts at $169,450 including delivery.

The Nissan Z NISMO manual is arriving for 2027, now equipped with the six-speed manual transmission that Nissan didn't think was needed because track-focused cars like this are faster with an automatic. But responding to Z fans who wanted a manual, it's here. For the Z NISMO manual, Nissan upgraded the pressure plate and clutch to handle the Z NISMO's 420-horsepower, 3.5-liter V6, while the shifter's stroke is shorter for quicker shifts. The Z NISMO's shocks were also retuned for better handling and more comfort. 

The front brakes are now based on those from the R35 GT‑R, which are lighter in weight and run cooler after hot laps at the track. Another track-related upgrade involved adding a baffle to the fuel tank to prevent fuel starvation during extreme cornering. Other Z NISMO standard features for both manual and automatic versions include larger wheels, firmer suspension, and a limited-slip differential. Performance testing by Car and Driver of a Nissan Z NISMO with the automatic transmission (the manual will be a tad slower) saw a 0-60 mph time of 3.9 seconds, with the quarter-mile going by in 12.4 seconds at 114 mph. Cornering on the skidpad was measured at 1.02g. Our review of the Nissan Z NISMO revealed that it's fast, but 0-60 isn't the point.

Pricing for the 2027 Nissan Z NISMO manual starts at $68,555, with the manual transmission listed as a no-cost option on this specific vehicle. Available options on the Z NISMO include two-tone exterior colors, wheel upgrades, coilover suspension, and a wide range of dealer-installed accessories.

The 2027 BMW M3 CS will be a unique limited edition BMW for several different reasons — it marks the end of the production of the sixth-gen M3, and it is the only CS model to be made with a manual transmission. Its complete name is the 2027 BMW M3 CS Handschalter, which translates from the German as "manual transmission." Only North American markets will get the M3 CS Handschalter, limiting it to the U.S. and Canada. In our review of the previous M3 CS, we appreciated the car's purist performance with road-ready comforts.

The BMW M3 CS Handschalter is powered by a 3.0-liter, twin-turbocharged S58 engine producing 473 horsepower, mated to a six-speed manual transmission that drives the rear wheels. Performance stats for this car have been provided by BMW, including a 0-60 mph time of 4.1 seconds and a top speed of 180 mph. It will be produced in what BMW calls, "very limited numbers," starting in July 2026 and continuing through the summer of 2027, with all of them being 2027 models.

Standard equipment on the M3 CS Handschalter is quite extensive. It includes forged alloy wheels, carbon-fiber roof and hood, and titanium muffler on the outside, with Merino leather-covered M carbon bucket seats, dual-zone climate control, and Harman Kardon surround sound to make its occupants comfortable inside. Pricing for the 2027 BMW M3 CS Handschalter starts at $108,450 including destination. Options consist of special historical colors for a $4,500 upgrade, as well as track tires for $600 and a front strut brace for $1,100.

At a recent event held during the 24-hour race at the Fuji track in Japan, Subaru announced the arrival of three cars with manual transmissions that will arrive during the 2027 model year. Two of them are exciting and on this list. But we must add a big red asterisk, because while the parent company has said they are coming, the U.S. subsidiary says, "We're unable to comment on any potential future vehicles at this time." So while we know that these vehicles will definitely be arriving on Japanese shores at the very least, it is by no means clear that any will arrive in the U.S., whether they are imported (with tariffs) or built here in Subaru's American factories.

One of these cars is expected to be the return of the Subaru WRX STI, Subaru's legendary rally car. The photo above is of the Performance-B STI Concept that was shown at the Tokyo Mobility Show during October and November 2025, which the new Subaru WRX STI could be based on. Whether the STI comes out as a sedan or a hatch, we'll have to wait and see. Pricing has not been announced. 

The most recent WRX STI tested by Car and Driver was a 2021 model, the last one to come to the U.S. It used a 2.5-liter, turbocharged flat-four that produced 305 horsepower, channelled through a six-speed manual and driving all four wheels. It could do 0-60 mph in 5.3 seconds, while the quarter-mile took 13.8 seconds at 102 mph. Cornering on the skidpad measured 0.93g. 

A new variant of the Subaru BRZ is based on the Japan-only version called the STI Sport Type RA, for "Record Attempt." This was made in a limited edition of 300, combining underbody aero improvements, Brembo brakes, ZF dampers, added cooling fins on the differential, forged STI BBS aluminum wheels, chassis upgrades, and an improved exhaust. STI then added a track-focused engine that was blueprinted and fitted with a lighter clutch and flywheel, which encouraged this mill to rev much better than stock. The photo above shows a stock 2027 BRZ.

The version of this BRZ that comes to the U.S. may not have the engine mods, but would likely have the other parts. Once again, it will definitely be coming to the JDM, but whether it arrives here is up to Subaru of America. Our review of the Subaru BRZ tS, which has Brembo brakes and an STI-tuned suspension, made the point that it's great, but not the one you should buy.

The Subaru BRZ packs a 2.4-liter, naturally aspirated flat four making 228 horsepower, mated to a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic driving the rear wheels. In Car and Driver performance testing of a manual Subaru BRZ tS, it pulled off a 0-60 mph sprint in 5.5 seconds and did the quarter-mile in 14.0 seconds at 101 mph, with roadholding on the skidpad of 0.97g. Subaru BRZ pricing starts at $37,055, which includes ultrasuede and leather interior with heated seats, Torsen limited-slip differential, 18-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport tires, and LED headlights.