In the past, automotive shoppers had many options for luxury cars with a manual transmission. Now, stick shifts are a dying breed, leaving driving enthusiasts with fewer choices. However, there are still some holdouts. Here are the only luxury cars that still offer a manual transmission. 

Why don’t most cars offer a manual transmission anymore?

A manual transmission is great for driving enthusiasts, for it gives you more control of the shifting and performance characteristics of a car. However, there are several reasons why the vast majority of cars don’t offer a manual transmission anymore.

The most obvious reason is convenience. It’s considerably more convenient and easy to drive with an automatic transmission versus a stick shift. Also, in the past, cars with stick shifts usually had higher gas mileage than their automatic transmission counterparts. However, that’s no longer the case. 

Another past reason to buy a car with a manual transmission is that it enables you to shift more quickly than an automatic. Now, many automatics can shift faster than a driver. 

Also, automatic transmissions have become considerably cheaper. In the past, manual transmissions were standard equipment. However, over time as the cost of automatic transmissions came down, automatics became standard equipment, while stick shifts became optional. Eventually, it wasn’t economically feasible for automakers to build separate models with a manual transmission, especially as the demand for them went down.

Luxury car brands that don’t offer manual transmission anymore

First, let’s cover the luxury brands that no longer offer a manual transmission. Land Rover, Jaguar, Volvo, Lexus, and Lincoln vehicles don’t offer a stick shift anymore. If you want to buy a manual transmission-equipped new car from any of the luxury car brands, you’ll be out of luck. 

Some luxury automotive brands only offer one or two models with a stick shift

There are some luxury automotive brands that are down to just one or two models that offer a manual transmission, as detailed by MarketWatch. For example, for Acura, you can only get a stick shift for the new Integra. Also, Cadillac offers just two models with a manual transmission: the CT4-V Blackwing and the CT5-V Blackwing. However, the Blackwing is the most expensive trim for these models, so you’ll have to pay a lot of money to drive stick. 

Also, it’s worth mentioning the Jeep Wrangler. While the Wrangler isn’t typically thought of as a luxury SUV, in recent years, the higher trims of the Wrangler have reached luxury car levels. You can get the Wrangler equipped with a manual transmission. 

Porsche and BMW offer multiple models with a manual transmission

Porsche is one of the few luxury car brands that offer multiple models with a stick shift. While the German automaker is renowned for its very quick dual-clutch PDK automatic, each of its sports cars still offers a manual transmission. This includes the Porsche 911, Boxster, and Cayman. 

Another luxury car brand that offers multiple models with a manual transmission is BMW. This includes the high-performance M3 and M4. However, the Competition versions are the only ones that offer a stick shift. Also, the same is true for the BMW Group-owned MINI brand. Nearly all of the luxury hatchbacks in the MINI lineup can be equipped with a manual transmission.