How are "constantly rearranging" instruments an essential?

Some designers don't get it. Too much ego. Those are the one's who would have failed to finish a cathedral over several generations within the same style (re-read chapter 4 of "The Mythical Man-Month" to understand).

It's a distraction. And a pure driver's car avoids any distraction.

I see this in software too - designers have to constantly justify their own employment by redesigning things that work perfectly well and literally no one has ever complained about. But if you're on the payroll to design, you have to design.

Well, they call it a pure "driver's car" but it's really too fussy to be that. A Miata or Elise/Exige would be what I'd put that label on.