what is it about this sort of suspension that deems itself worthy of the carrera gt and enzo and performance automobiles of the like? anyone know what it is that makes it so much better than a direct coil over suspension...?

Weight. As far as I can tell, those pushrods are much lighter than shocks and eliminate unsprung weight. Also, since the shock is mounted inboard, it is easy to use remote reservoirs and such. I'm sure there is more too it than this, but that is my "basic" answer. I'm sure there are things I missed.

Every time I recall seeing a push rod acutated suspension it was packed into a tight space.

Look at how much vertical space a front strut suspension takes up. Lots. A push rod suspension can be packed into a much tighter space, minimizing frontal area. I'd guess one could run a more reasonable spring with more travel on a pushrod with a small front end than one with a more traditional outboard mounted coil over in the same small front end.

Push rod susp. also works well on open wheel cars keeping springs/shocks inside the narrow nose and out of the air stream. Check out a FF C MOD at an autocross sometime.

That's my guess...