A sporty, rear-driven coupé with a manual gearbox isn’t nearly as common as it used to be. We decided to dig through South Africa’s new-vehicle market to find the only five examples still available (here priced from lowest to highest)…

1. Toyota GT86: R644 800

Toyota’s GT86 has been around locally since 2012, although a second-generation GR-branded version is in the works. The coupé draws 147 kW and 205 N.m from its (Subaru-sourced) naturally aspirated 2,0-litre flat-four, directed to the rear axle via a six-speed manual gearbox. It’ll hit 100 km/h from standstill in a claimed 7,6 seconds before topping out at 226 km/h.

2. Nissan 370Z: R741 400

Nissan’s 370Z is even older than the GT86 above, having first hit the SA market back in 2009 (like the Toyota, though, a new version is on the horizon). An atmospheric 3,7-litre V6 sends 245 kW and 363 N.m to the rear tyres via a six-speed manual, facilitating a sprint to three figures in a claimed 5,3 seconds and a top speed of 250 km/h. A seven-speed automatic transmission is also available, although it’s interestingly three-tenths slower to 100 km/h.

3. BMW M2 Competition: R1 007 664

Yes, BMW’s M2 Competition can still be ordered with a six-speed manual gearbox, which directs the turbocharged 3,0-litre inline-six’s 302 kW and 550 N.m to the rear axle. The result is a top speed of 250 km/h (or 30 km/h higher if you tick the appropriate box) and a claimed 0-100 km/h blast in 4,4 seconds (two-tenths slower than the automatic). Of course, 28 examples of the M2 CS are also destined for local shores, some of which will be offered in manual guise.

4. Porsche 718 Cayman: R1 033 000

The four-cylinder version of Porsche’s 718 Cayman is still on the market, offered with a six-speed manual. The 2,0-litre flat-four generates 220 kW and 380 N.m, allowing a sprint from standstill to three figures in a claimed 5,1 seconds and a top speed of 275 km/h. Of course, the 257 kW 2,5-litre Cayman S (R1 262 000), the 294 kW six-cylinder Cayman GTS 4.0 (R1 253 000) and the 309 kW Cayman GT4 (R1 563 000) can also be had in manual form (the 992-gen 911 Carrera, too, should fairly soon be offered locally with the no-cost option of a seven-speed manual gearbox).

5. Ford Mustang 5,0 Fastback Bullitt: R1 047 900

While only around 50 examples of the special-edition Bullitt were set aside for South Africa, the apex Mustang is still on Ford’s pricelist. As a reminder, its naturally aspirated 5,0-litre V8 channels 338 kW and 529 N.m to the rear rubber through a six-speed manual cog-swapper. The Blue Oval brand says that’s enough for a 4,5-second blast to 100 km/h and a top speed of 262 km/h.

Original article from Car