Picture this: you walk into a dealership wanting something powerful, rear-wheel drive, with a proper manual gearbox, and it won’t completely destroy your bank account. Just a few years back, you’d have been spoiled for choice. Today? You’ve got exactly three options worth considering, and they’re all legends in their own right.
What Makes These Cars So Special?
The Nissan Z, Toyota GR Supra GT, and Ford Mustang GT represent something that’s becoming increasingly rare – affordable manual sports cars that actual humans can buy. We’re not talking about six-figure supercars here. These are machines that sit comfortably under the $100,000 mark while delivering genuine thrills.
Think about it: eight years ago, you had twenty different options in this category. Most were variants of the Ford Falcon or Holden Commodore. When those disappeared, everyone thought manual sports cars were done for. Yet here we are, with three completely different approaches to the same basic recipe.
The Heritage Factor
What’s fascinating is how much history these cars carry. The Mustang has been making hearts race since 1964. Nissan’s Z-car lineage kicked off in 1969. Even the “youngest” of the bunch, the Supra, first appeared in 1978. We’re talking about nearly half a century of automotive evolution, yet they’ve all stayed true to their manual roots.
Breaking Down Your Options
Nissan Z – The Beautiful Rebel ($75,800)
The Z is the bargain of the bunch, and honestly, it’s probably the prettiest car here. With its retro-modern styling, this thing looks like it escaped from a 1970s concept car show – in the best possible way.
Under the hood, you get a 298kW twin-turbo V6 that came from the now-defunct Infiniti models. It’s got plenty of grunt, delivering 475Nm of torque that arrives early and stays strong. The price has barely budged since launch, rising just 3.4% – try finding that anywhere else in today’s market.
What you’ll love: The looks, the price, and how it makes you work for your rewards. This isn’t a car that flatters mediocre driving; it demands respect and skill.
What might annoy you: The interior feels a bit sparse, and the stability control system can be heavy-handed when things get slippery.
Toyota GR Supra GT – The Precision Instrument ($87,380)
The Supra carries some baggage – it’s built on BMW bones, which purists love to complain about. But here’s the thing: it works brilliantly. This is the sharpest, most focused car of the three.
The 285kW turbo inline-six delivers 500Nm of torque with incredible flexibility. Peak torque kicks in at just 1800rpm and hangs around until 5000rpm, giving you a massive usable powerband. The manual gearbox feels natural here, like it was always meant to be part of the package.
What you’ll love: The precision, the balance, and how rewarding it is to master. This is a driver’s car through and through.
What might annoy you: Rear visibility is terrible, and some of the controls are awkwardly placed due to the manual conversion being somewhat of an afterthought.
Ford Mustang GT – The Showstopper ($78,990)
The Mustang has gotten pricier – up 21% since the Z launched – but you get a lot for your money. This new S650 generation packs a 347kW naturally aspirated V8 that sounds absolutely incredible. The Coyote engine delivers 550Nm and revs all the way to 7,250rpm with a soundtrack that’ll make you grin every single time.
What you’ll love: The V8 experience, the comfortable cabin, and the surprising sophistication. This isn’t the crude muscle car stereotype anymore.
What might annoy you: It’s the heaviest of the three at 1,813kg, and the fuel consumption reflects that thirst for premium unleaded.
The Real-World Experience
How They Actually Drive
Each car has its own personality on the road. The Supra feels like a precision instrument – sharp, focused, and demanding your full attention. It rewards commitment and punishes laziness.
The Mustang surprises with its sophistication. Despite being the biggest and heaviest, it communicates clearly what it’s doing and builds confidence quickly. The variety of drive modes means you can tailor it to your mood.
The Z requires the most finesse. It’s not as immediately accessible as the others, but there’s something deeply satisfying about learning its quirks and working with them rather than against them.
Living With Them Daily
Comfort-wise, the Mustang wins hands down. Those Recaro seats in the tested car are genuinely comfortable for long distances. The Supra is snug but acceptable, while the Z feels the most cramped of the three.
Technology features vary dramatically. The Mustang comes loaded with modern conveniences, the Supra hits the important bases, while the Z keeps things surprisingly sparse – no wireless charging, no head-up display, not even an outside temperature gauge.
The Bottom Line: Which One Should You Choose?
Here’s the thing about buying a manual sports car in 2025 – you’re not making a rational decision. If you wanted pure practicality, you’d buy the automatic version, or better yet, something completely different.
You’re buying these cars for the connection, the experience, the pure joy of rowing your own gears. In that context, each one offers something unique:
Choose the Z if: You want the most beautiful car that demands skill and offers the best value. It’s the one you’ll turn back to look at every time you park it.
Choose the Supra if: You want the most focused driving experience and don’t mind working harder to extract its full potential. It’s the purist’s choice.
Choose the Mustang if: You want the complete package – V8 soundtrack, daily usability, and broad capability. It’s the one that does everything well.
Why This Matters
These three cars represent something that might not exist much longer. Manual transmissions are disappearing from sports cars as automatics get better and regulations get stricter. Toyota and Nissan have no confirmed plans to continue these cars in their current forms.
That makes every drive in these cars special. They’re not just transportation; they’re a connection to an era when driving was more involving, more demanding, and arguably more rewarding.