The Stick Shift BMWs Still Available in 2026 - And the Clock Is Ticking

If you want a new BMW with a manual transmission in 2026, your options have shrunk dramatically. The German automaker now offers just three models with a clutch pedal: the M2, the base M3, and the base M4. The Z4 M40i, which briefly brought the manual back to BMW’s roadster lineup, ended production this spring with no replacement planned.

That leaves the M division as the sole keeper of the three-pedal flame, and even that lineup is thinning fast.

The M2 is the most straightforward choice. Every version comes standard with a six-speed manual at no extra cost, starting around $69,000. The 473-horsepower coupe skips the complexity of trim-level restrictions, though the upcoming M2 M xDrive for 2027 will be automatic-only. Above it, the M3 sedan splits cleanly: the base model at $79,300 offers a manual and rear-wheel drive, but step up to the Competition and you lose the stick entirely.

The M4 Coupe follows the same pattern, with the manual available only on the base trim. For those willing to spend more, the 2027 M3 CS Handschalter, a limited-edition, rear-wheel-drive special priced from $108,450, is likely the last manual M3 ever built.

BMW now stands as the last German automaker still offering a manual transmission in a performance car, with Mercedes-AMG and Audi having abandoned the stick years ago. But that distinction comes with an expiration date. The current M3 is expected to be replaced around 2028 with an automatic-only, mild-hybrid powertrain.

The M4 and M2 may carry on a bit longer, into 2029, but order books close well before production ends. If you’ve been waiting for the right moment to buy a manual BMW, the window is narrowing. And with the Z4 gone, there’s no roadster, no non-M option, and no second chances.