The manual transmission isn’t dead. Not yet. Not while Nissan is still holding the line.
Pricing for the 2027 Z lineup is finally here. The headline grabber is the new NISMO trim equipped with a six-speed stick. It starts at $68,505. Just under $70k. That is significant. Especially when you consider that this might be one of the last affordable ways to actually shift gears in a V-6 coupe.
Every Z now costs $1,460 more than the previous year. A price hike. But here is the twist Nissan actually got right. They are not charging a premium for the driver’s choice. You get the nine-speed automatic or the six-speed manual for the exact same price. It seems basic, but in an era of overcharging for simple joys, it stands out.
The entry-level Z Sport starts at $45,725. The Z Performance? $55,725. Both run a 400-horsepower, twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. The Performance trim just adds better brakes, forged 19-inch wheels from RAYS, stiffer dampers, and a limited-slip differential. Nice. But for those of us watching the genre shrink, the real story is higher up.
The $68,505 Manual
Step up to the NISMO, and you pay $68,505 for 420 horsepower. Nissan didn’t just bolt a manual box into the NISMO and call it a day. They had to engineer changes to handle the extra grunt. Front brakes were upgraded. Suspension work was implied, if not explicit in the fine print of a “track-focused” label. It matters. You are getting a car built to throw its weight around.
Why does this matter? Because the sports car graveyard is expanding.
The Toyota Supra? Dead. The BMW Z4 roadster? Mostly dead to manual transmissions. The GT-R? Buried near Nissan’s Yokohama HQ, a monument to a bygone era. The Z is now the lone warrior left standing in the Japanese maker’s sports car lineup. It is fighting a losing battle against the rise of electrification and the decline of engagement.
Nissan is fighting back. With a stick.
The Narrow Field of Alternatives
Let’s look at the alternatives. Because if you want a rear-drive, two-door coupe with a manual and more than 228 horsepower, the list is terrifyingly short.
Sure, you can get the Mazda Miata. Or the Toyota GR86. Or the Subaru BRZ. They offer connection. But they lack power. The bar here is over 228 horsepower. So, cross those off.
That leaves two cars.
- BMW M2 : Starts at $69,550. It has a manual. It costs slightly more than the Z NISMO. It is the direct competitor.
- Ford Mustang GT : Starts at $48,795 cheaper than the M2. It has a manual option. It has V-8 power (usually). But it is a different creature entirely.
The Nissan Z slots into a strange, lonely space. It is cheaper than the BMW M2. It is more focused than the Mustang. It offers the V6 turbo punch that many are abandoning. And it keeps the left-footed option open.
Is it enough?
The 2027 models are rolling into dealerships now. The prices are up. The options are down. The manual transmission is a relic in the making. But for $68,505, you can still buy a car that forces you to work for the speed.
A six-speed gearbox. Three pedals. No driver aids doing the thinking.
It is a small victory. The market is shifting. The Z might be the last of its kind in this price bracket. Buy it while it lasts? Maybe. Or maybe you just drive it until the gears grind into silence.
