MINI manual driving school makes you fall in love with stick shift

“Can you drive a manual?” As someone who writes a lot about cars, I was always ashamed of my answer to this question. “Not really,” I’d sheepishly reply. 

The reason I didn’t just say no was that I’d tried several times to learn. First, my dad attempted to teach me in our old Ford Ranger when I was 16 years old. It didn’t go well. A few years later, my sister let me try out her manual Hyundai Elantra. I managed to drive a few blocks around the neighborhood, but it was years before I’d touch a stick shift again.

Photo: MINI

Then, about nine years ago, my husband tried to revive my manual skills by teaching me how to drive our 1992 Mazda Miata. This was a big mistake. We were newlyweds at the time, so my desire to preserve a flawless facade was still intact. With each abrupt stall of the engine in our church parking lot, my ego took a flogging. I cried and promised to never subject myself to such abject humiliation again. Browse cars with manual transmissions

So, when A Girls Guide to Cars recently invited me to attend a media event for the new Mini Manual Class, I hesitated for a moment. The thought of embarrassing myself in front of a group of automotive journalists didn’t sound very appealing. And yet, the chance to finally conquer this hurdle was something I felt I couldn’t pass up. Besides, it’s not often an opportunity like this comes along. Professional instruction on a closed course? In a Mini Cooper? Posing no threat whatsoever to my marriage or family relationships? I had to do it.

I was among the first students to ever try the Mini manual driving school in Thermal, California, and this is what I learned in a half day’s worth of instruction. 

Drive for manuals is alive and well

First, Mini wanted to share the why behind the new course. At a time when CarMax reports that manual transmission cars make up just 2.4% of vehicle sales, a program like this may seem obsolete. But Mini recently conducted a consumer survey that proved the market for stick shift is still going strong.

It found that 63% of respondents believed driving a manual transmission was “a rite of passage and an important life skill,” although just 24% owned a manual car. Of the 49% of Gen Zers and 42% of women who said they didn’t know how to drive a manual, 53% said they were interested in learning. About two-thirds of respondents between ages 18–34 were the most eager to learn.

But the reason behind wanting to learn was the most interesting part. When it came to choosing the characteristic respondents most associated with manual transmission vehicles, “fun to drive” came out on top.

Photo: MINI

Mini driving is about fun

Mini takes great pride in manufacturing cars that people enjoy driving. Rah Mahtani, Mini’s brand communications manager, said consumers have considered it the most fun to drive brand in the U.S. for more than a decade. That’s in part, he said, to the manual transmission.

Mahtani said the manual driving lessons would provide “a fun and challenging learning experience for a new generation of Mini drivers that they will remember forever.” As someone who’s experienced this course firsthand, I can tell you — that’s absolutely true. 

Failure is virtually impossible

The day began with some brief classroom instruction where we went over proper seat positioning, correct hand placement on the steering wheel (spoiler: It’s not 10-and-2, it’s 9-and-3) and the basics of a manual transmission. They showed us a map of the course and a quick overview of what we’d be doing step-by-step. Then we were off to the track to meet our instructors, Chris Hill and Loni Unser, and pair up with our own manual Minis. 

In three hours, Hill and Unser taught us how to find the friction point on a clutch and shift from first to second and third gear. Each of us took turns slowly practicing each step as we made our way through the gentle twists and turns of the course, with Hill providing feedback after each lap. Unser parked toward the middle of the course so she could observe our progress.

Because Mini designed this class for beginners, the track is flat and easy to handle — perfect for getting up to about 45 mph. But my saving grace turned out to be the Mini’s automatic restart feature that prevents you from stalling the engine completely. As long as you quickly pushed in the clutch and stepped on the brake, the engine kept going. Had I learned on a car like this when I was 16, I may never have needed more lessons. 

I had my fair share of rough stops and starts, but also managed a handful of smooth takeoffs that earned me some praise. Even on my worst laps, Hill would remind me that I got the car from Point A to Point B, which was what mattered most. At the end of the day, I’d driven several miles in a manual transmission Mini — and I was pretty proud of that.

Photo: MINI

Take it from a pro

There’s a big difference between trying to learn something from a professional versus a family member or someone you know. I made a lot of mistakes in my manual Mini Cooper, but my instructors did an excellent job of helping me tame my frustration. 

At one point, I struggled to shift from first to second gear without getting caught in neutral and couldn’t figure out why that kept happening. Hill helped me realize I was pulling back too hard and that a smoother, straight back movement would keep the car in the right gear. He was right.

Downshifting proved to be another tricky obstacle for me, but Unser, sensing my urge to just move through the course as quickly as possible, kindly reminded me via radio to take my time. 

They constantly reiterated that even the best drivers will occasionally stall a car and that driving a manual is something that requires repeated practice. “It’s not like riding a bike,” they said. You have to keep doing it, or you’ll lose that muscle memory. I felt both validated and encouraged, which I owe to their patience and professionalism. Here are some cars for sale with stick shifts

How much does it cost?

For now, the Mini Manual Class is only available at the BMW Performance Center in California. The course goes from 8:30 a.m. to noon and costs $499 per person.

Is it worth it?

The class won’t be for everybody, but it’s a great option for anyone who wants to learn (or have their teenager learn) the basics of driving stick in a safe, judgment-free, fun environment. Plus, you don’t have to worry about ruining the clutch in your car or someone else’s — which may be worth the price alone.

Personally, I wished I could’ve had just a little more time on the track to really fine-tune my technique. But my confidence is miles beyond where it used to be. As one of my fellow classmates put it, “I could drive a manual if my life depended on it.” Just don’t ask me to go on any steep hills yet.

Photo: MINI

Keep at it

While the Mini team does a great job of building up your confidence with a manual car, they also stress that total manual mastery likely won’t happen in just one day. As with most things in life, proficiency takes practice. The best thing you can do after investing in the driving school is to continuously hone those newfound skills by regularly driving a stick shift car. And don’t be surprised if you find yourself pining for a manual transmission Mini Cooper after this experience. Here are some Minis with manuals!

At the time of this writing, Mini offers seven manual options:

• Mini Cooper

• Mini Cooper S

• John Cooper Works 2-door hardtop

• Mini Cooper convertible

• MINI Cooper S convertible

• MINI Cooper 4-door hardtop

• MINI Cooper S 4-door hardtop

Find a Mini Cooper and other manual transmission options on KSL Cars.

The makes and models mentioned in this article are not placed in any particular order, nor intended to be viewed as a ranked list. KSL Cars does not endorse any vehicles. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer and do not reflect the views or opinions of KSL.com or its employees.