For years, it’s all we’ve heard. Carmakers insist that manuals are dying because people stopped caring. And sure, the convenience and ease of an auto can’t be doubted, but as far as the popularity of a manual gearbox goes, the data tells a very different story. When manufacturers actually give customers the option of a manual transmission, a surprising number still take it, especially in enthusiast-focused cars. What’s uncomfortable about the numbers is how clearly they expose a disconnect between what carmakers claim buyers want and what buyers consistently choose when given the chance.
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The Numbers Carmakers Don’t Like Talking About
Recent take-rate data shared by manufacturers paints a picture the industry rarely highlights. In Performance Cars where a manual is still offered, demand is often far stronger than expected. As discussed on the This Car Pod! Clips YouTube video featuring Doug DeMuro, the BMW M2 saw roughly 30 to 40 percent of buyers choosing a manual. The base BMW M3 did even better, with around half of eligible buyers opting for three pedals. Even the M3 Competition, a trim subtly stacked in favor of the automatic with more power, still managed a manual take rate between 6 and 10 percent.
Contrary to what you might think, these numbers show up again and again once the conversation moves away from mainstream commuter cars and into vehicles built for people who actually enjoy driving. The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing landed at about 48 percent manual, while the smaller CT4-V Blackwing crossed the 60 percent mark. These are niche cars by design, and that niche clearly prefers shifting manually.
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Porsche’s data is even more revealing when you look past surface-level percentages. Across all non-GT3 911 models, manual take rates hover around 15 percent. That sounds low until you remember how few trims even allow a manual. When you isolate the versions where buyers actually have a choice, the numbers jump dramatically. Around 83 percent of manual-eligible 911s were ordered with three pedals. The GT3 Touring landed at a similar figure.
In fact, that’s a pattern that keeps repeating. When the manual is limited, the percentage looks small. When it’s genuinely available, demand spikes. If you haven’t guessed already, the takeaway’s simple: manuals don’t struggle when buyers can actually buy them.
The Cars Keeping Manual Transmissions Alive
Some cars are quietly doing the heavy lifting in keeping manuals relevant. The Subaru BRZ stands out as one of the clearest examples, with around 90 percent of buyers choosing the manual. Its twin, the Toyota GR86, comes in lower at roughly 52 percent, despite being mechanically similar. That gap likely comes down to dealer ordering habits, marketing, and buyer perception rather than any lack of interest.
Lotus Cars delivers one of the strongest signals of all. The Emira saw roughly 88 percent of buyers choosing a manual, and that’s not surprising once you consider the buyer mindset. People skipping mainstream brands in favor of Lotus want involvement, feedback, and a driving experience that feels earned.
‘If you offer a manual, more than half the time people actually take it,’ – Doug DeMuro
Even at the extreme high end, the trend holds. Pagani’s Utopia reportedly saw around three quarters of buyers choosing a manual, despite its seven-figure price tag. At that level, is it really even about performance gaps anymore? The manual exists because it feels right, and people respond accordingly. These cars succeed because they understand their audience and don’t treat the manual as an afterthought or a compliance option.
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Why Automakers Keep Getting This Wrong
All this is to say that it’s not that manuals don’t sell. It’s that automakers often apply the wrong logic when deciding what to keep and what to kill. Broad averages get used to justify cuts, even when those averages mix low-volume sports cars with high-volume trucks and SUVs.
Take the Toyota Tacoma as an example. Only about 1 percent of buyers choose the manual. That sounds tiny until you remember Toyota sells roughly 200,000 Tacomas a year. One percent still represents thousands of customers. Meanwhile, half of BRZ buyers choosing a manual amounts to far fewer total units. This shows that volume skews perception, and perception, unfortunately, drives decisions.
Deeply Invested
Volkswagen’s recent moves highlight this disconnect perfectly. In 2024, roughly half of GTI and Golf R buyers chose the manual. For 2025, both cars lost the option entirely. The GLI remains the only stick-shift VW sedan, with a take rate around 45 percent. Despite clear demand, the brand walked away from one of the strongest engagement points it had.
From a corporate perspective, manuals complicate production, emissions compliance, and global platform strategies. On the other hand, automatics are easier to standardize and sell worldwide. The issue is that these decisions slowly erode trust with the exact buyers who still care enough to notice. Overall, sure, manual buyers might be a minority, but they tend to be loyal, vocal, and deeply invested in brand identity. Those are the people that lend credibility, so not losing them should be a priority for carmakers.
Source: This Car Pod! Clips (YouTube).
