Thanks for the replies, folks. I have cancelled my contract with the circus now..
It was indeed a new car I tried, the pedals of which I was assured were already on the furthest forward position. We tried two variations of steering wheel & the knee/wheel issue can be resolved fairly swiftly, but I was still struggling with leg length room.
I will grant you that my footwear wasn't ideal, with a heel height slightly greater than that of normal shoes, and that extra distance may be the key. I'm guessing that a hinge point about an inch further from the seat is the ideal I seek. Cuban heels and wincklepicker toes are bang on trend, surely..?
I've only got dainty fairy-sized eights, so feet size shouldn't cause me any issues.
Thinking a little more deeply I think it's the angle of my foot to shin that causes the pain; if my leg was straighter then the foot/shin angle opens up. This may be why similar inside leg lengths may fit easier, perhaps.
Either way I'm sure it's not insurmountable & that some lateral thinking & light engineering will produce results. I just don't want to commit large sums on something I have to adapt before I can use..
I'm loving the raised edge seating too, Waldemar!!