While I don’t consider the manual transmission to be the only reason to buy a vehicle, it does make some cars and trucks infinitely cooler. What’s even more enticing about these rarely-seen-with-three-pedals variants is that the factory actually decided to make them despite knowing there would be a limited market for them. That’s entirely true of this rare 1988 BMW 735i equipped with a 5-speed manual and listed here on Facebook Marketplace. If you’re a BMW enthusiast, this is the sort of car you’ll spend years looking for and lucky if you find one. The seller has listed it for $8,000.

Thanks to Barn Finds reader Mitchell G. for the tip. When BMW introduced the E32 7-Series, it wasn’t as much of a wild reveal as it was a logical progression over the outgoing E23. Mind you, the 6-Series was also refreshed in a similar fashion, with the edges becoming a bit sharper and the styling more aggressive despite being an evolutionary refresh. The 7-Series was offered in long-wheel base form and with increasing levels of luxury, but this was still the blissful era when you could order an “entry level” luxury car, as this inline-six and 5-speed manual equipped 7-Series certainly is.

Gone are the days of being able to have a little fun in a luxury car; now, manufacturers are pushing loads of info-tech equipment into otherwise miserable sedans and hatchbacks, calling these the “new era” of high-end vehicles. The E32 was still a genuinely high-end car, and it commanded respect based solely on its road presence. It was a big, commanding vehicle, and you certainly got plenty of respect in the valet line when muscling up against the Mercedes-Benz W126 models and the Audi V8. And this was an era wherein you wouldn’t be sneered at for ordering the car with a stick, especially since BMW was the darling of the sports sedan market.

While official numbers are hard to find, it’s estimated BMW sold around 1,500 E32 7-Series with the stick, making this a properly rare car. If you’ve never hustled a big car with a 5-speed around, it’s truly a treat. And if you’re a fan of the movie Ronin, this is a far cheaper way to relive the famous chase scene rather than ponying up the cash for an actual E39 M5. Not to mention, the M30 inline-six found in this car is far cheaper to live with and maintain while still sounding great and being a treat to wind out. $8,000 is steep for a rare but not particularly valuable car; however, if it were in my neck of the woods, I’d still be making tracks to check it out.