Manual transmissions are dying. There is no other way of looking at it. With EVs and hybrids now more common, and automatics often the best transmissions for performance, fewer cars are being produced that have a good old-fashioned stick shift. In fact, fewer than 30 models in America have a manual transmission.
For enthusiasts, however, nothing quite beats the feeling of shifting through gears yourself. Being in control of the car as you throw it into corners and accelerate it out is part of the fun of owning a car with a stick shift. It makes a driver feel more connected to his machine than an automatic does.
Thankfully, there are still some manual transmissions out there. And not only that, but the transmission is still available in some truly epic cars with plenty of power under the hood. Ferrari, Lotus, and Porsche are just some of the companies that still produce manual cars.
This article contains some of the cars that you can still buy, with a manual transmission and that have plenty of power for you to enjoy them with. It might come as a surprise to learn just what you can still buy with a manual shifter.
Pagani Still Produces Manual Supercars
Pagani amazingly has two models with a manual transmission. The first is the Utopia, and it knows that its customers love a manual. The Utopia still has the option of a seven-speed Xtrac manual transmission, and around 70 percent of customers who have bought one of the cars have opted for that version. A twin-turbocharged Mercedes V12 under the hood produces a whopping 852hp.
If that wasn’t enough, then there is also the Pagani Huayra 70 Derecho. This was a one-of-a-kind Huayra, with a six-speed manual transmission, to celebrate Horacio Pagani’s 70th birthday. It too has a massive Mercedes V12 under the hood, making 864hp, and 811lb-ft of torque. It is incredible that Pagani still produces such high-performance cars with a manual transmission.
The Ultimate Manual Transmission Hypercar?
Perhaps the car that should earn the biggest plaudits is the Hennessey Venom F5-M Roadster. The car made its global debut at the 2026 Goodwood Festival of Speed, and it’s probably one of the most terrifying cars of recent times, but in a good way. The huge 6.6-liter Fury V8 engine makes a whopping 2,031hp, and only 12 examples will ever be made. And yes, it has a manual, a six-speed manual transmission to be precise.
Equally incredible is the Koenigsegg CC850. Powered by a 5.0-liter DOHC twin-turbocharged V8 engine, the CC850 has a very clever setup. It utilizes an Engage Shift System (ESS) built into its Light Speed Transmission (LST) system. This allows the driver to simulate a six-speed manual, with a clutch pedal, versus using a paddle shifter. With 1,385hp, it’s up there with the Venom F5-F Roadster in terms of how impressive it is.
Honorable Mentions in the Manual Transmission Segment
Plenty of other excellent cars still boast a manual transmission, even if they don’t have the horsepower of a Koenigsegg, Pagani, or Hennessey. The Lotus Emira packs in 400hp from its V6 engine, and Britain’s favorite sports car manufacturer also gave the car a manual transmission. It wouldn’t be a true Lotus if it didn’t have a stick shift.
The Nissan Z Nismo is another sports car to boast a manual transmission. The standard version also has one, but the Nismo version only recently got it after many requests from enthusiasts. It is slightly punchier than the regular Z, with 420hp versus 400hp, and it provides an even better driving experience than the standard Z, which is still very good in itself.