I see this T127 (this number does remind me of a Fiat...) at least as a more compact-looking car than, say... this year's Ferrari or McLaren - I don't see any figure published by Lotus on wheelbase length, so I'm speculating by eye.
Maybe the boxy-looking sidepods are a giveaway of a larger fuel tank, achieving a shorter wheelbase the old way. It could even be that a guy like Gascoyne (although I never had the best opinion on him), could grasp that this year's cars handling requirements would require a compromise on aerodynamics and decided to compromise a little bit on the aero side to have a better packaging. Could it be that some of frontrunners made a bad decision on this compromise? That would provide some excitement...
I'm quite liking the looks of the Lotus and how this year's grids will finally be more colourful than the corporate looks on manufacturer's cars from the past recent seasons - and even some manufacturers risking more traditional colours, like Renault.