Compact, manual coupes | Six of the Best

You’ve probably seen the news this week that the very latest BMW M2, the 530hp CS, has claimed a new record for compact cars at the Nurburgring. While the classification is clearly quite, er, accommodating, there’s little arguing with comfortably less than seven and a half minutes around the North Loop from an everyday performance car. All that being said, it’s sad not to see a manual in the CS, given we are approaching the end of purely combustion M cars; what would be lost in lap time would be more than recouped in driver reward. Maybe it’s to follow. Until then, take a look at this – a Competition version of the previous, F87 era M2, with the rarely specced six-speed manual. You can’t say BMW hasn’t given people what they want with more autos. This Comp has just one previous owner, less than 30,000 miles and a full service history. Plenty more where that came from, too. 

While never the most sophisticated front-engined, rear-drive car in the world, the Nissan 370Z’s relatively old-school approach to the compact coupe was not without appeal. Especially now, in fact, with the replacement not offered in Europe and the market for new two-door models basically non-existent. Muscular good looks, the brawny six-speed manual and the response of a naturally aspirated six seem more charming than ever. In theory, time will have made the Nissan’s flaws harder to overlook as well; certainly it’ll be no cheaper to fuel and tax a 3.7 V6 in 2025. But those who miss buttons as well as gearstick in centre consoles will be very happy because the Zed is peppered with them. There are even a few for some kind of disc player. This is about as good as 370s get in 2025, with fewer than 20k and GT spec gaining the Rays forged wheels.    

An easy one to forget about, the Scirocco, given the abundance of Golf Rs and GTIs around. We tend to prefer hot hatches to coupes in the UK, and nowhere is that better evidenced than in how few ‘Roccos there are compared to Golfs. Shame – this looks way more interesting. And the R was a particularly curious offering; despite the badge it wasn’t four-wheel drive, meaning a decent weight saving to benefit efficiency and handling. Yet to do some justice to the moniker, the Scirorro R was usefully more powerful than the regular 2.0 TSI – up to 280hp by the end, making it one of the most powerful front-drive Volkswagens ever along with the later Clubsport Golfs. The R should still be lovely to drive, as so much of the recent past now seems to be, and comes with the kind of interior to make a Mk8 Golf owner Viper Green with envy. A nice way to spend £15k, for sure.

Another less spotted six-speed thanks to a very good auto, the manual really was the making of this Supra. It’s a shame that more folk didn’t get to experience it before the car went off sale. The standard automatic was very good, because that ZF eight-speed is pretty much wherever it goes, though it didn’t help the generally aloof feel of the car. For all Toyota’s claims of sports car credentials, the A90 Supra never quite communicated how you really wanted it to. The manual arguably played better to its sports GT vibe, mandating a more measured, deliberate approach. It was a decent shift, too, Toyota investing some effort in getting the weight of the throw sorted. This MT has only covered 5k and looks great in Dawn Blue. 

Hard though it might be to get your head around, the GTV and Spider are now very much the modern classic Alfa Romeo offering. The 916 generation was launched more than 30 years ago and went off sale in 2005; for a taste of traditional Italian two-door, they’re now the cars to turn to. Albeit with prices now to reflect their status: the days of Shed-spec Spiders and GTVs are done, as rust or poor maintenance has claimed the worst ones. Now £5k is the entry point, with £10,000 and upwards buying the good ‘uns. Then there’s the Cup, as this one is; with just 155 RHD cars made as part of a run to celebrate the one-make race series, all came with the Busso V6 and smart bodykit. They’re now highly prized, as more than £20k for this one shows. Still, small coupes have seldom looked (or sounded) better. 

We had to have a TT here. Across every generation the Audi coupe was smartly styled, pleasingly compact and always had a manual available. This actually makes choosing one quite hard, given there were six-speed TTs with the VR6, the inimitable turbo five, and the later 2.0-litre TFSI with more than 300hp. But the Quattro Sport is pretty hard to overlook, given it’s as close to a properly focused TT as ever existed from the factory. Audi removed the rear seats, fitted some stunning Recaro chairs up front, and massaged 240hp from the 1.8-litre turbo. It was and remains the most desirable version of the original. This is one of the 800, and benefits from a few additional tweaks – Bilstein suspension, Scorpion exhaust, Forge intercooler – over the standard spec. Still with just 41,000 miles, it looks a real gem.