4 Most Expensive Manual Cars In India

In an era where "driving" is increasingly becoming a less engaging and more monotonous experience, there are still a few stubborn, grease-stained corners of the automotive world that refuse to let go of the third pedal. For most car buyers, the automatic transmission is a liberation from the everyday drudgery of driving in bumper-to-bumper traffic. But there are still a few out there for whom the manual gearbox is a conversation between them and their cars.

So here are a few notable manual cars that are still around, listed by price.

1. Lotus Emira

The most expensive manual car officially listed in India today is the Lotus Emira. As the last of its kind, the Emira with the supercharged V6 variant can be had with a six-speed manual. Power figures are around 405bhp and 430Nm. Costing roughly Rs 2-2.2 Crore, it’s a massive investment just to keep the manuals alive.

2. Porsche 911 (Special Customisation program)

No list of drivers’ cars is complete without the mention of a Porsche. But Porsche’s relationship with manuals in India is complicated. Currently, you can only get any Porsche with a PDK (automatic) – which is undoubtedly faster than any human could ever be – but there are a few "Touring" and "GT" cars that the customers could order. These are not the mainstream models but can still be specced with a manual through Porsche’s customisation program. You’re looking at a price tag north of Rs 3 crore, often touching Rs 4-5 crore once you add the "necessary" options.

3. BMW M2

BMW has moved toward AWD and automatics for almost its entire M lineup, but the M2 remains special. It’s compact, rear-wheel drive, and crucially can be had with a six-speed manual. And it doesn’t even cost a lot, at approximately Rs 1.05 crore. So, it is undoubtedly the entry-level ticket into the world of six-figure manual performance. It’s a brawler of a car behind the wheel, too.

4. Toyota Fortuner

It feels strange to jump from Lotus and BMW to a Toyota, but in the Indian context, it’s a fact that none of the premium cars from any of the German/British/Japanese carmakers offer a manual in India (or even globally anymore). Beyond the sports cars, the most expensive manual "workhorses" is the Toyota Fortuner, which isn’t cheap anymore, topping out at nearly Rs 51 lakh. While a Fortuner is not associated with luxury or performance, it is still the peak of manual utility. For those touring the Himalayas or navigating rural estates, the Fortuner manual remains the gold standard for reliability and control when the tarmac starts to disappear.