There are only two mid-engine stick-shift sports cars left in America

Mid-engine stick-shift sports cars were once the gold standard for driving purists, a blend of balance, feedback, and full control with no paddles, no computers.

Cars like the Ferrari 360 and Acura NSX made this formula iconic.

But times have changed. Electric cars, stricter emissions rules, and automatics have taken over, with stick shifts now making up just 1.7 percent of new car sales in America.

Automatic transmissions are faster, smoother, and more efficient, and mid-engine layouts are getting squeezed out in a world built around battery packs and electric platforms.

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That leaves just two of them. Two stick-shift sports cars in 2025 are still rocking a mid-mounted engine and a proper three-pedal setup.

And when they’re gone, they’re gone.

The last affordable stick-shift sports cars

If you want that mid-engine magic without six-figure money, the Porsche 718 Cayman – and its drop-top twin, the Boxster – is your last shot.

It starts around $72,000 and gives you something increasingly rare: a six-speed stick-shift and the engine in the middle, where purists say it belongs.

Whether you go for the base model, the quicker Cayman S, or the wilder GTS 4.0 with its glorious naturally aspirated flat-six, every version brings serious fun and a real connection to the road.

No computers shifting for you here.

But don’t wait too long – Porsche is pulling the plug in October 2025. The next generation? Fully electric.

The enthusiast’s pick

The only other option? The Lotus Emira V6.

It’s a bit more money, but a lot more driver-focused. A smooth six-speed stick-shift, a characterful V6, and handling that keeps you connected to the road.

It’s the kind of car that reminds you why you fell in love with driving in the first place.

This is more refined than past Lotus models, with a solid interior, modern tech, and just enough comfort for daily driving – without losing the sharp handling the brand’s known for.

But, like the Cayman, its days are numbered. Lotus is phasing out the V6 soon, and future versions will only come with a four-cylinder and an automatic.

So that’s it – one slightly more attainable unicorn, and one rare-breed enthusiast’s machine. After that, it’s over.

Then you’ll have to go used, get something custom-built, or spend hypercar money to get this kind of driving feel again.

Stick-shifts aren’t totally dead, of course, front-engine cars like the Toyota GR Supra and Nissan Z still offer a stick – but they’re absolutely on life support.

The Porsche 718 and Lotus Emira V6 are the last of their kind in America.

Buy one while you still can… or get ready to tell your kids what a clutch pedal was.

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