Save the Manuals!

This is Our Last Chance – Only 82 New Manual Cars Left on sale in the UK!

If alarm bells aren’t ringing, they should be! An extinction-level event is unfolding right under our noses. And no one seems to be doing anything thing about it. According to new research from CarGurus, the number of manual gearbox cars available in the UK has dropped a shocking 57% over the past decade. In 2015, you had 192 new car models you could buy with a manual. Now? Just 82. That’s it. That’s your lot. Let that sink in.

Not Just a Decline – A Death Knell

We’re not just talking about a gentle decline. This isn’t a graceful swan song. This is the automotive equivalent of your favourite actor dying mid-trilogy – no warning, no farewell tour, just gone. And the sequel? Canned. Forever.

Worse still, the numbers are dropping faster year on year – an 8% drop just from 2024 to 2025. That means only 29% of all new models on sale in the UK today offer a manual option. The rest? Automatics, hybrids, EVs – gearless, soulless point-and-go boxes.

It gets bleaker: Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover, Volvo, Lexus… even MINI have axed manuals completely. MINI! A brand that practically defined chuckable, gear-rowing fun.

2030: The Point of No Return

Why is this happening? A perfect storm of regulation, electrification, industry economics, and – dare I say it – driver laziness.

Let’s not forget, from 2030, the UK bans the sale of new petrol and diesel cars – even mild hybrids (some of which do still come with manual gearboxes, such as the Suzuki Swift). And what do EVs and full hybrids all have in common? No manual transmissions. They simply don’t need them. One gear is enough. Push and go. Not great for anyone who ever loved driving.

By then, there will be zero new manual cars for sale in Britain. That’s not a prediction – that’s just a side effect of the legislation.

This Hurts Because It Matters

Now you might say, “It’s just a gearbox, Shahzad, calm down.” But it’s not. It’s the very soul of driving. That moment when you perfectly blip the throttle for a downshift, or nail a heel-and-toe like a track-day hero – that’s connection. That’s control. That’s fun. You don’t get that flicking paddles or letting an algorithm decide your torque curve.

When we lose manuals, we lose: emotion, skill, mechanical intimacy; a whole bloody driving culture!

And yes, it’s personal. As someone who grew up worshipping the art of the shift, this feels like helplessly watching some hack your left foot off announcing: “well, you won’t be needing that any more!”

A Few Brave Survivors

There are still heroes out there. The Honda Civic Type R still comes with a proper manual. The Mazda MX-5 is still an affordable joy. And thankfully, Porsche has kept the manual option alive on the 911. But these are unicorns in a herd of bland, gearless clones.

Want to buy a manual today? You’ll have to dig deep – most options are either budget learner boxes or high-end enthusiast fare. The mainstream market has already moved on.

But… There’s Hope?

Bizarrely, there might be a lifeline – from simulated gearboxes in EVs. Yes, Toyota and Lexus have filed patents for virtual H-pattern shifters, complete with clutch pedals that don’t need to be there. Totally artificial – but made to feel real. Imagine that: digital downshifts, fake stalls, synthetic rev matching. Bonkers. Brilliant.

Will it work? Who knows. But at least someone is trying to keep the magic alive.

What Can We Do?

Simple. Buy a manual now – even if it’s just for weekends. Teach your kids to drive stick. Tell manufacturers that you still care. Keep the conversation alive. Because once it’s gone – it’s gone.

Let’s not go quietly into that driverless, joyless, one-speed future. Let’s shout. Let’s clutch. Let’s shift.

Love Manuals? Do Something About It:

• Comment below – are you still shifting gears?
• Share this post with a fellow petrolhead.
• Support independent motoring journalism 

Let’s not lose the joy of driving. Not without a fight.

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