The manual transmission is having a bittersweet year. On the positive side, there has been a huge resurgence in manual demand at the exotic and sports car level, with Porsche bringing it back on the Carrera S, and Nissan doing the same with the Z Nismo, for example. But we’ve also had many casualties in the past 12 months, from the loss of the 718 Cayman/Boxster, Supra, Z4, and CT4-V Blackwing, to affordable cars like the Civic Si, and the manual transmission for the Integra and Jetta GLI. Hopefully some of these return someday, but in the meantime, here’s the 10 manual transmission cars still around in 2026 with the quickest 0-60 mph times.
We’re going to follow the same rules as last year, meaning no low volume/sold-out hypercars. While the BMW Z4, Toyota GR Supra and Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing would rank on this list and do have 2026 model years, all three were already out of production at the time of writing and therefore ineligible. A search on the CarBuzz Marketplace confirms the manual Z4 is completely sold out, only 10 new manual Supras are left, and just four new manual CT4-V Blackwings remain. All quoted prices include destination.
10
Nissan Z Nismo
4.3 sec 0–60 mph
The Nissan Z Nismo finally got a manual for the 2027 model year, a glaring omission when the Nismo version first launched back in 2023. Despite their protestations that the automatic it debuted with was faster, buyers didn’t care, and demanded the manual. To Nissan’s credit, it responded to the feedback quickly, adding it for the Z’s mild refresh this year.
Because this one went on sale so recently, there isn’t any actual 0-60 testing done yet, and Nissan isn’t quoting a time, so the 4.3 second time here is a conservative guess based on the regular Z manual’s 4.5 second time and the automatic Nismo’s 3.9 second time. It might deserve to be ranked one or two spots higher once testing is done, but it is nonetheless a seriously quick manual car that belongs on this list.
9
Porsche 911 Carrera T
4.3 sec 0–60 mph
The Carrera T is another great example of a car company listening to its fans and giving them what they want. After spending years phasing out manuals from much of the 911 lineup, they have come back in a big way, first in the GT3, then the Carrera T and, next year, the Carrera S.
The fact that the slowest 911 with the slowest transmission choice still makes it onto this list shows it is no slouch, but the 388-hp Carrera T’s focus is on handling and the driver’s connection to the car. It gets thinner glass and less sound deadening, along with other options from the Carrera option list, like rear-wheel steering, torque vectoring, adaptive dampers, and bigger brakes, among many other things. Despite the optional extras, it’s still the lightest 911 in the range, at 3,316 lbs. By all accounts, it’s one of the sweet spots in the lineup.
8
Toyota GR Corolla
4.2 sec 0–60 mph
This one may come as a surprise, but independent testing has in fact revealed the 2026 GR Corolla as capable of a 4.2-second 0-60 mph time. Part of this may be due to the extra 22 lb-ft of torque it got in 2025, the better cooling and intake system it now has, or other tweaks. Regardless, the GR Corolla is seriously quick, and the fact that it makes this list with a starting price of under $42k makes it all the more impressive.
Beyond the numbers, its heavily boosted three-cylinder and simple, light Corolla chassis make this feel like the rally rockets of old, but with modern tech and conveniences like auto rev-matched downshifts while you row through the manual’s longer throws—another fun throwback. For those that want the highest-performing and most raw experience, the new GRMN Corolla throws out the back seat, adds more aggressive aero, a little more torque, and a bunch of other goodies in an attempt to justify its much higher $65,655 price tag.
7
Ford Mustang GT
4.2 sec 0–60 mph
Another hero of the fast and affordable manuals is the Ford Mustang GT, which provides its low 4-second time with all the theatrics of a 480-horsepower V8 roar and squealing, smoking tires, for under $50,000. If you want to get close to that quoted time, though, you’re going to want to spend the extra $5,660 for the GT Performance Package, which puts down the power better with wider wheels and tires, a shorter final drive for the limited-slip diff, suspension upgrades to handle the speed better, and big Brembo brakes to slow it all down. This generation of Mustang has certainly been a more gradual evolution compared to the last generation, but it’s still a lot of fun all the same.
6
Lotus Emira
4.2 sec 0–60 mph
The final one in the 4.2-second club is the Lotus Emira. Now that the Cayman is gone, Lotus has the small, manual mid-engine sports car market all to itself for now. As a result, the cheapest manual one, the V6 SE, is nearly $4,000 more expensive than last year. Being the only game in town, and being a very rare and niche car likely means it doesn’t really matter what the price is, as long as it doesn’t cross into 911 territory. Its Toyota-sourced 350-horse V6 with a supercharger is a notable choice, as is the manual transmission with an exposed mechanism, a real perk for those who want to celebrate the manual.
5
BMW M2
4.1 sec 0–60 mph
The new M2 CS is the M2 variant that’s getting all the attention this year, but for manual fans, its automatic-only configuration means they’re likely to pass on it. While the M2 CS is no doubt impressive, the humble, regular M2 continues to provide the most engagement. Plus, it clearly has plenty of straight-line performance still, just barely over 4 seconds for its 0-60 time.
4
Ford Mustang Dark Horse
4.1 sec 0–60 mph
The Mustang Dark Horse goes one notch past the GT, both in what it does, and in its actual 0–60 mph time. That’s thanks to an extra 20 hp from connecting rods sourced from the GT500, a forged crankshaft, and new tuning. You’ll also enjoy wringing out the Dark Horse manual more, as it is the only Mustang to get the Tremec manual versus the Getrag unit that the regular GT uses. The Mustang is the last manual V8 muscle car, and with Ford’s CEO saying multiple times that they’ll have to pry the manual “out of our cold, dead hands,” it sounds like this one is safe for the future.
3
BMW M3/M4
4.1 sec 0–60 mph
The BMW M3 and M4 soldier on with the current generation and its available manual transmission for one last model year, with the 2027 model year ending production in the middle of 2027 and taking the manual with it.
BMW is marking the momentous occasion by offering a special sendoff: the CS Handschalter. Essentially, it gives you all the lightweight goodies and special stuff from the regular, automatic-only CS, but downgrades the horsepower to the standard 473 (since that’s all the power the manual can handle).
2
Porsche 911 GT3
3.7 sec 0–60 mph
The Porsche 911 GT3 continues offering a manual for 2026 and 2027, not just in the regular and Touring versions, but also in a new GT3 S/C convertible, and special new GT3 90 F.A. Porsche edition limited to just 90 units. They all have the same amount of power, with the Touring version going for a more subtle look, and the special edition going more retro with its configuration.
The more variants of this remarkable car, the better, and being able to enjoy it without a roof for the first time since the 911 Speedster from 2019, and without limited production this time, is a welcome development for Porsche fans. It is certainly a lot of money for 502 hp, almost $250,000, but that 0-60 mph time makes it the second-fastest manual you can buy outside of the hypercars.
1
Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing
3.6 sec 0–60 mph
It’s sad to say, but the fastest manual transmission car on sale today, the Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing, won’t be on sale much longer. Production ends later this year, and Cadillac gave it an F1 Collector Series sendoff. Just 26 units with this unique configuration pictured above will be available for a whopping $260,000.
Thankfully, for those not quite that well off, the regular car continues to be available this year for just a smidge over $100k. It’s a fantastic car that will be missed, but reports suggest that a new CT5 is coming on an evolved version of this platform, which would hopefully mean the manual will continue to be offered in the next generation.
Sources: Nissan, Porsche, Toyota, Ford, Lotus, BMW, Cadillac, Car and Driver.
