There has been a long, slow phasing out of the manual transmission. Right now, the soon-to-be antiquated technology is hanging on by the will of enthusiasts willing to buy new cars with automatic transmissions. Incredibly rich people who can invest in boutique cars are also keeping the manual on the road.Unfortunately, as much as people cry about saving the manual, the harsh reality is that fewer and fewer have been putting their money where their mouth is. And once the used market stops being fed manual cars and there's only a finite amount available, their value is going to rise dramatically. So, here are five manuals worth snagging now before it all goes to hell. BMW M2 2018 BMW M2 front 3/4 driftingThe BMW M2 is the spiritual successor of the E46 generation M3, and, in this writer's opinion, the M2 is the best M3 that BMW has ever built. It's eerily close in size to the turn-of-the-century E46 generation, but with 21st-century power and even more agility.In base trim, meaning the manual version, BMW's twin-turbocharged straight-six got a 20-horsepower bump for the 2025 model year, to 473 horsepower, while retaining 443 lb-ft of torque. The all-wheel-drive version is coming, but it will be automatic-only because the manual transmission has reached its power limit.That 20 hp bump isn't a big deal, so buying used shouldn't leave anyone feeling undersold. The M2 is a wildly entertaining car, and would still be at 100 hp less. Going back to the first generation that arrived in 2016, the base model made around 100 hp less (365 hp), and it's a bit of a bargain right now. We found a 2017 BMW M2 with 65,000 miles on the CarBuzz marketplace here in California for $33,995. Honda Civic Type R 2021 Honda Civic Type R (15)Pick a generation of Honda Civic Type R, and it's going to retain a lot of value. The current generation (FL5) arrived in 2023 and has been subject to dealership markups since. But if you can find a 2025 model at MSRP, it's one hell of a hot hatch with 315 hp on tap, though still pricey at $45,895. And, it's still a pure hot hatch – the Civic Type R sticks to its front-wheel-drive roots while others have been tempted away by moving to all-wheel-drive.It's tempting, but the previous generation (FK8) has all the ingredients to be a future classic, thanks to its crazy styling that evokes the pointy throne in Game of Thrones. The FK8 looks more like a JDM monster despite being built in the UK, while the more subdued FL5 is built in Japan. The FK8 is down on horsepower (306), but not by much, and it's highly tunable, which requires more skill from the driver to get the most out of it. The latest Type R models lean heavily on torque vectoring to keep up with all-wheel-drive hot hatches, and the latest iteration is more polished. Ford Mustang 2025 Ford Mustang GT Coupe front 3/4When the manual transmission goes out of production, the Ford Mustangs with a six-speed could become highly sought after. Ford has stopped making the base EcoBoost four-cylinder turbo models with manuals. However, it's the 5.0-liter V8 that will be more sought after in the long run for purity, and only the Mustang GT and Dark Horse versions can be had with a manual now.It's no shock that a current Mustang with a V8 and a manual transmission is brilliant fun, but don't rule out the Mustang EcoBoost as a used car. With two cylinders less, the EcoBoost Mustangs are lighter at the front, and the turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine makes over 300 hp. However, the EcoBoost engine is also highly susceptible to tuning and strong enough to take a lot of boost. Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing 2025 Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing front, three-quarterThis is a car that could turn out to be a collector's piece if Cadillac can cement its name in global motorsport. The brand is going hard in racing competition right now, adding a new Formula 1 team to its portfolio and building on its World Endurance Championship entries. It's already set to maintain its value as a supercharged 6.2-liter V8 with a manual transmission, which is already a rarity in the 21st century.The Cadillac CT5-V Blackwing makes an epic 668 hp to the rear wheels and remains one of the best sports sedans on the planet while BMW still exists. Torque is a hefty 659 lb-ft, making it a handful off the line as well as out of corners when being pushed hard. It's a limited production car, but it's an if-you-know-you-know car. So, if you know and have $131,605 to spend, it's a brilliant car. Porsche 911 2024 Porsche 911 Carrera T heroSaying "Porsche 911" is being incredibly broad at this point. The Porsche 911 has become an incredibly convoluted product that requires a whole article to explain. Right now, there are 20 variants on the Porsche USA website for customers to browse. However, Porsche has made it super-simple to choose a new model with a manual – either get the close-to-base model 911 Carrera T for $148,000, a 911 T Cabriolet for $161,900, or a GT3 for $235,800.If you're an influencer or collector, then the GT3 is a no-brainer, although the shine has come off the GT3 now for engagement. For someone who loves to drive, the Carrera T is a bargain in Porsche terms but a little light on horsepower for $148,000 – just 388 hp. But, the vast majority of Porsche enthusiasts don't buy new – they let the fat-wallet executives buy new, then pick them up a generation or two or three later. The Used Porsche 911 Market Is Complicated Porsche-911_Carrera_GTS-2011-Exterior 4The Porsche 911 used market is, of course, even more convoluted and requires deep research to identify the right model. But, if you have used Porsche 911 money to spend, and want something you can drive and enjoy, but is just going to become increasingly more desirable, then the 997 (2004–2013) generation 911 Carrera GTS is quite the shortcut if you can find one for the right price with a manual. It's got close to the performance of a GT3, but it's easy to live with.The 997 911 Carrera GTS also arrived before Porsche increased the 911's wheelbase and moved to electrically assisted steering. It has a wider track than standard 911 models at the time, and the flat-six engine makes an entertaining 408 hp. Unfortunately, it only existed for two years (2011-2010) and is convoluted by the Carrera 4 GTS – a version with all-wheel-drive.