Any self respecting car lover knows that to buy a sports car or supercar without a manual transmission (if given the choice)
is unforgivable sacrilege. I understand that all new exotics don’t even
offer a stick anymore, but that doesn’t mean their aged predecessors
shipped only with dual pedals. Here are five modern sports cars that should never, under any circumstance, be bought without the ability to row your own gears.
The MG Car Company Limited was a former British sports car manufacturer founded in the 1920s by Cecil Kimber. Best known for its two-seat open sports cars, MG also produced saloons and coupés. Kimber was an employee
of William Morris, MG is from Morris Garages. The MG business was
Morris's personal property until 1935 when he sold MG into his holding company,
Morris Motors Limited, restructuring his holdings before issuing
(preference) shares in Morris Motors to the public in 1936. On 22 July
2005, the Nanjing Automobile Group purchased the rights to the MG brand
and the assets of the MG Rover Group for £53 million creating a new
company MG Motor, The words performance, handling and fun go
hand-in-hand when talking sports cars. Many would argue these speedsters
should seat only two passengers and sport rear-wheel drive, but
automotive thrills can arrive in many forms. While the affordable Ford Mustang
has been top of mind with visitors to MSN Autos for many months, in the
third quarter of 2008 it was unseated by another American icon is Chevrolet Corvette.
Long an American icon, the current Corvette is also a world-class, high-performance sports car.
And for 2009 the 'Vette moves into exotic car territory with the
all-new ZR1. Powered by a 638-horse supercharged 6.2-liter V8 engine
mated to a 6-speed manual transmission, the Corvette ZR1 is capable of
205 mph on the track. The standard Corvette is no slouch either, with
its 430-horsepower V8 and impressive fuel economy numbers of 16 mpg in
the city and 26 mpg on the highway.
When the latest Mustang debuted
in 2005, its flashback styling tapped into a deep well of American
automotive lust. Its retro design — plainly displayed via round
headlights, triangular windows, three-element taillights, and
galloping-pony grille — only added appeal to one of the last affordable
American sports cars. Available as a coupe or convertible, the Mustang
continues to be one of the most popular cars in the Ford lineup,
offering a variety of performance options, including a 300-horsepower V8
engine in the GT.
The M3 is the high-performance version of the BMW 3-Series and was
completely new for 2008, powered for the first time by a V8 engine.
Offered in coupe, sedan and convertible versions, the M3 is even more
aggressive than its predecessor with a power dome in the middle of the
aluminum hood, a rear diffuser, and gills in the front fenders that
include the blue/purple/red M3 logo. The 4.0-liter V8 puts out 414
horsepower at a high-revving 8300 rpm, and is teamed with a 6-speed
manual transmission or a new 7-speed M Double-Clutch transmission with
Drivelogic, specifically designed for the M3's engine.
The legendary rear-engine sports car, the 911 has managed to retain its
trademark silhouette since its inception over 40 years ago. A number of
different versions are available, with the range-topping 911 Turbo
cranking out 480 horsepower from its twin-turbocharged 3.6-liter flat
six. With a high-tech all-wheel-drive system, the Turbo can lunge to 60
mph in just 3.7 seconds and hit 100 mph in 8.4 seconds using the
standard 6-speed manual transmission. Opt for the 5-speed Tiptronic
automatic transmission and acceleration times improve to 3.4 and 7.8
seconds. A revised 911 will debut later this year as a 2009 model.
