You're missing the Lotus ethos John. The passenger seat is fixed to the floor pan for example - weight saving. Backrests arent adjustable for the same reason. Glovebox hasnt a lid for the same reason. The hood supports are carbon fibre springs because metal; is heavy. That approach runs through the whole car and results in something that is a sports car in real terms. Its designed to handle as well as is possible and to go as well as is possible from a standard engine. And like Morgan, they used to be cheap.
Add lightness. My car on the works weighbridge ( regularly checked) was just on 900kg full of fuel.
And yet my wife and I toured N Spain in the car for 14 days and SWMBO said it was one of the most comfortable cars she had done long distance in.
As you might guess I am a Lotus fan