Refinement in and of itself does not pose a threat to the car's status as a "true" sports car. It is only when said refinement decreases performance that the above becomes true. In the case of the Elise, a refinement level has been set. It is very low. Air conditioning, stereo, leather, carpets, and sound deadening are standard or optional refinements added to the Federal Elise that decrease the performance standards set by the Euro Elise. Granted, the engine more than makes up for them on paper, but the fact remains that the Fed Elise is already changed from the standard that has been set. Further changes only take the Elise further from the standard, thus the use of the word "bastardize".
That would present an ideal car built for the sole intention of performance. "Real" cars are somewhere between that ideal and the ideal of comfort and refinement. The Lotus Elise has traditionally leaned more towards the ideal performance car end. I am not suggesting that all cars should be stripped like the Euro Elise, but the Elise should be stripped. That is what it is. If you want a little more refinement and a little less performance, there are other cars with that balance already... the S2000, for instance. Now I'm not suggesting that if one's individual tastes and preferences are for an Elise with 20" rims and plush interior that said individual is necessarily "wrong". I'm only stating that such is not the original intention of the vehicle.
Actually, a painful experience IS required for optimal performance. It is a fact that the things required for comfort: A/C, soft shocks with lots of travel, thick padded leather seats, pedals with more room in between, big surround sound stereo system, lots of insulation, and lots of room make for a poor performing car.
Of course it's possible to make up for the lost performance here by increasing horsepower, widening stance, widening treads, and adding things like actuated suspension, but these also add something else... COST. So yes, you can get a car that performs like an Elise but feels like a Lexus (not even, but better than an Elise, anyway), but it's going to cost you... in the sums of hundreds of thousands of dollars.