If you are an automotive purist then you probably have a cultic relationship with the stick shift. Nothing beats the experience of driving a manual transmission car. Engaging the clutch pedal then moving your hand in some choreographed movement to engage the right gear feels like a borderline genius. And if you know how to heel and toe perfectly, then you probably and quite often feel like a king amongst driving peasants.

But the manual transmission car offers more than an ego boost to the nine-year-old motorhead. In some contexts, manual cars are not only faster, more powerful, but also more efficient if you care about how much dead dinosaur goo you burn per mile.

And that is where these 10 cars come in. They are the holy grail of stick shift vehicles and not driving one, if you are a stick shift enthusiast, is akin to visiting Italy and not ordering pizza.

10 Audi R8 V10

Audi R8 V10
Via CNET

The original Audi R8 V10, designed by Frank Lamberty and Julian Honig, is one of the best aging supercars from its era. This marque was also a technological marvel after it was launched. It bragged an aluminum monocoque, a low-slung body, and the formidable Quattro four-wheel-drive system.

Audi R8 Spyder - Front Quarter
Via WSupercars

The Audi R8 was very refined. As a matter of fact, some gearheads found it too refined and balanced for an Audi. It was as if Porsche had a big hand in its creation and development. The icing on the cake was the six-speed manual transmission that was offered in both the V8 and V10 options.

9 Caterham Seven

Caterham Seven
Via: Caterham

When the Caterham Seven was introduced in 1993, the game-changer was the six-speed gearbox put between the wheels and the engine. That transmission was designed as a close-ratio unit that kept the Rover K-Series hot on the revs all through driving. That, in turn, gave this car a ton of character.

Caterham Seven 420R - Front Quarter
via: Caterham 

To date, what makes the Caterham Seven still special, is the fact that it brags one of the shortest manual transmission throws in an automobile. It is also the highlight car for marques in its class, thanks to the clever combination of engine power and a punchy transmission that makes this car a wild machine.

8 Honda Civic Type R

2018-Honda-Civic-Type-R-1
Via BringaTrailer

Honda might not be able to consistently make the best automobiles in the world. But when it comes to the Honda Civic Type R, the Japanese powerhouse has hardly disappointed. And that is not solely because the Civic Type R is a car on steroids. One thing that Honda has consistently proven to be good at is the design of gearboxes. And the Civic Type R has one of the best you can find in a manual transmission car of its class.RELATED: These New Sports Cars Prove Manual Transmissions Are Still Alive And Well

TypeR-via-troy-media
Via Troy Media

That manual transmission is not only smooth but also perfectly rationed. It even feels better than dual-clutch alternatives from competitors.

7 Honda S2000

Honda S2000 Blue Front Quarter View
Via: Car Throttle

The Honda S2000 was built to dethrone the Miata. And despite the marque not winning the war against Mazda’s most revered creation, it won a big battle. And that was with its transmission.

honda-s2000-passenger-side-front-blue
via Hagerty

But the six-speed manual sitting between the power unit and the wheels did not deliver a delightful driving experience on its own. It started with the engine. Honda fitted a 2.0-liter power unit that could deliver absurd amounts of horsepower and torque. The latter didn’t hit you until 7,500RPM before the engine demanded a gear change at a ridiculous 9,000RPM.

6 Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0

2006 Porsche 911 (996) GT3 RS 4.0
Via: Reddit

The final version of the 997-generation Porsche was a masterpiece. The Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0 shared the same engine block used in the 911 RSR race car. That power unit could develop 490hp from just 4 liters of a naturally aspirated engine.

Porsche 911 GT3 RS 4.0
Via: Porsche

That meant the transmission in this marque had to be different compared to that in the regular RS. As such, it donned taller ratios, resulting in a gearshift that felt heavenly. Only 600 GT3 RS 4.0 were ever made. So, getting your hands on one is going t be lucky and very expensive.

5 Ferrari F430

Ferrari F430
Via: Ferrari

The Ferrari F430 is a one-of-a-kind Ferrari. That is not because only two were ever made or it was created in commemoration of a special Ferrari figure. Rather, this was the last manual transmission Ferrari that was accessible to the driver in almost all driving conditions.

RELATED: Toyota Supra Rumors Signal Upcoming Manual Transmission Option Coming

Ferrari F430
Ferrari

Yes, the engineers from Maranello fitted a few other modern Ferraris with the stick shift. But if you wanted something fun, engaging, and not intimidating for your first time driving an Italian supercar, this was it. It was a representation of the decades of work put in by the engineers to perfect this transmission.

4 Lotus Exige

Lotus Exige
Via Mecum Auctions

To get a Lotus with a decent stick shift is not an easy affair. Most Lotus, like the early examples of the Evora, for instance, featured manual transmissions that required the Hulk’s arms and a deaf ear to handle the toughness and deafening noises the cogs made as you went from 1st to 2nd. Some old Elises were also a bit notchy.

Lotus Exige
Via Mecum Auctions

However, Lotus learned its lessons and with the Exige, the experience was different. Currently, the Exige packs one of the finest manual transmissions you can get in a car. You even get to see the exposed linkage, which makes shifting with the stick even more satisfying.

3 Porsche Cayman GT4/718 Spyder

Porsche Cayman GT4/718 Spyder
Via Motor1.com

The Porsche Cayman/718 is the small brother to the 911. Even the hard-charging GT4 version doesn’t get to par with the bigger brother. But there’s one area where it shines probably more. And that is with the manual transmission.

Porsche Cayman GT4/718 Spyder
Via: Marca

In most 911s, you’ll get a seven-speed manual transmission that feels quite good under the arm. But with the Cayman GT4/718 Spyder, you get one gear less, but a ton of fun. Though, you can nitpick a few things. Firstly, the gear ratios could have been a bit shorter in the manual Cayman GT4. Secondly, the PDK paddle shifter outshines the regular Cayman’s manual.

2 Ariel Atom / Nomad

Ariel Atom / Nomad
Via WSupercars

You can make an argument that the Ariel Atom/Nomad is quite a cheat when it comes to its manual transmission, and you won’t be completely wrong. Ariel sources most of the drivetrain bits from Honda, the manual transmission being included. That explains why this marque is so good at shifting gears. RELATED: These Are 10 Of The Best RWD Cars With A Manual Transmission Ever Made

Ariel Atom / Nomad
Via WSupercars

However, you still have to give it to Ariel for making the Atom blend well with Honda’s impressive manual shifter. The car’s light weight and DIY-ish gearbox deliver one of the most fun driving experiences you can get today.

1 Ford Mustang Bullitt

Ford Mustang Bullitt
via Wallpapercave

The Ford Mustang Bullitt is a testament that surgically precise gearshift quality is not the holy grail of a great manual transmission. The shifter in this marque requires not just your attention but also muscle to get it in the right gear. And it doesn’t like to be rushed either. Shifting in this car requires patience.

Ford Mustang Bullitt
Via: Auto123

And what’s good about that? The fact that it fits the Bullitt’s character perfectly. This marque has a 5.0-liter 459bhp V8 that knows how to pull hard and for long, making dual-clutch-speed gear changes not that necessary. Plus, given its pop and historical background, the cue-ball gear knob and retro attention to detail fit the Bullitt perfectly.