10 Fun Cars with a Stick Shift

Dodge Challenger Hellcat ・ Photo by Dodge

A title like “10 Fun Cars With a Stick Shift” seems almost like saying the same thing twice. Apart from being the basic equipment in some budget-priced subcompact cars that people rarely buy, manual transmissions these days have an almost exclusively enthusiast appeal. Fun is virtually a given when there’s a stick shift involved. It means greater control on upshifts, letting the engine spin and scream up to the point where it reaches its maximum horsepower. Or slamming in a downshift at exactly the right point before entering a tight bend. That control, that engagement — these are the reasons why some drivers still choose manual transmissions. Who needs a self-driving car when you can have greater thrills driving it yourself?

2017 BMW M2

Like Tiffany jewelry or Faberge eggs, the M2 is an illustration of good things coming in small yet pricey packages. BMW, to its enormous credit, also offers versions of other high-performance M cars with manual transmissions. But the M2 seems to exude an almost magnetic pull. The urgency of 365 hp and 343 lb-ft produced by a turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-6 engine, plus the rear-wheel drive setup and 6-speed manual transmission in a car this compact makes any enthusiast want to jump in and drive it. The M2 is as sharp as any M fan might want. An M Driver option raises the top speed to 168 mph and includes a day’s tuition at a performance driving school.

Photo by BMW

2017 Chevrolet Camaro SS

Great American V8-powered fun, that’s the SS. The current Camaro is the best it’s ever been, with a chassis that makes fans of European dynamics take notice. Add the 6.2-liter V8 of the SS, sending 455 hp and 455 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission (with rev-matching downshifts), and we have a muscle car with smart moves — instead of the “exciting in a straight line, but don’t bother trying to zip around a corner” syndrome that used to afflict this type of car. Even so, the Camaro is generally quicker than its rivals when sprinting to 60 mph. To make matters even better, it comes as a coupe or convertible.

Photo by Chevrolet

2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat

There’s fun and then there’s serious fun. This hot-rodded version of the Challenger coupe has a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 that develops an incredible 707 hp. That’s the most horsepower the average Joe or Joan can buy before getting into the realm of exotics (and even some exotics don’t have this much muscle). Which makes it a relative performance bargain. Assuming a price of $63,590 for the version with the 6-speed manual transmission, that works out to around $90 per pony. All these figures turn into abstract thoughts once that accelerator is pressed, though. The sheer rush is adrenaline-inducing, spine-tingling, laughter-producing, delight-inspiring madness. Make the most of it. One day, cars like this will be forbidden.

Photo by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles

2017 Ford Focus RS

There’s not even the option of an automatic transmission for the Focus RS, that’s how committed it is to involving the driver. But it also requires some commitment in return. The suspension is sporty to the point of being best suited to a track. In other words, firm. There’s also 350 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque from the turbocharged 2.3-liter 4-cylinder engine, tight-fitting sport seats, and the tire wear that inevitably happens when pushing this all-wheel drive machine. To some ears, this will sound like music. The standstill-to-60 mph time of 4.7 seconds and the top speed of 165 mph are great, but it’s the way the RS does it that seals the deal.

Photo by Ford

2017 Jeep Wrangler

Driving fun is not exclusively about speed. As anyone who has climbed rocky terrain in a Wrangler could explain. Even its oil system is designed to remain functional at extreme angles. With roots that trace back to the Willys Jeep, the Wrangler has a low-range transfer case as part of its all-wheel drive transmission, with a 6-speed manual shifter as standard. Sport trim is the most basic, which makes a good jumping-off point for aftermarket-enhanced customization. But the range-topping Rubicon comes with most of the equipment a dedicated rock crawler will need. That includes greater suspension travel and axle articulation, plus a super-low transmission setting for tackling tough terrain. Just add bandanas.

Photo by Jeep

2017 Mazda MX-5 Miata

If there was a dictionary of driving terms, there would be a picture of the MX-5 under the “fun” entry. The whole car exists for this very purpose. It doesn’t care about the school run or the weekly grocery shop. But it does come with the sensations that only an open-topped car can provide, a wonderfully balanced rear-drive chassis, the right amount of power (155 hp and 148 lb-ft of torque from a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine) and a 6-speed manual transmission. The RF version has a retractable hard top, which manages to add some year-round insulation as well as looking cool. But the regular car is slightly lighter, enhancing the fun factor.

Photo by Mazda

2017 MINI John Cooper Works Hardtop

MINI is owned by BMW and it shows. Not visually, of course, but when the seat of the pants comes into contact with precise handling and the sensation from keen engines, then the Munich connection becomes much more apparent. JCW versions are the most extreme of any MINI. The 2-door Hardtop is a favorite because it sits low and echoes the classic Mini layout. It’s the kind of car to be thrown around, where exploring the limits of grip and occasionally exceeding them are the main reasons for buying it in the first place. Using the 6-speed manual transmission is a great way to exploit the JCW’s 228 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque.

Photo by MINI

2017 Porsche 911 Carrera

To describe the 911 merely as “fun” is to miss out on a much bigger picture. The 911 has been and still is the benchmark by which all other sports cars are measured. Sure, teenage boys will have Lamborghini posters on their bedroom walls, but real driving enthusiasts lust after this car that insists on keeping its engine in the trunk. But once you get into the “slow in, fast out” rhythm through a set of corners, using the engine’s weight over the rear wheels to help with traction, the 911 becomes addictive. The Carrera is the entry level model, but still enjoys 370 hp (from a now-turbocharged flat-6 engine) and a 7-speed manual transmission.

Photo by Porsche

2017 Toyota 86

The erstwhile Scion FR-S, now re-named the Toyota 86 coupe, has a classic front-engine/rear-drive layout enhanced by a 6-speed manual transmission. This gearbox has a rev-matching feature that blips the throttle on downshifts for a smoother harmonization of engine speed and road speed There are two more good reasons to choose the manual version instead of the automatic. Horsepower is one, going up from 200 to 205 hp. Torque is the other, increasing from 151 to 156 lb-ft. The 86 also has a mechanical limited slip differential to help with traction through the corners. This might seem like an odd product for a traditionally conservative car company, but everyone is glad it exists.

Photo by Toyota

2017 Volkswagen Golf GTI Sport

There is the 292-hp, all-wheel drive Golf R, which also comes with a 6-speed manual transmission, but the Golf GTI is nicely accessible. Not just because it’s more affordable, but also because the relatively modest power (220 hp in all but the lowest trim) is well suited to everyday situations, providing thrills without the frustration of rarely getting to explore the potential of something with greater muscle. The newsworthy aspect is that 2017 brings a new Sport trim for the GTI, which has that 220 hp as standard, a 6-speed stick shift, upgraded brakes from the Golf R, and a real limited slip differential (not a brake-based simulation) for excellent traction.

Photo by Volkswagen