(Singly linked) lists are a functional data structure. You can manipulate them efficiently without modifying the lists you started with. You can't do that easily with arrays. So if you base your language around arrays, you're better off making it imperative.
Lisp predated level 1 caches. I think it's better to design hardware around the software that runs on it (the Burroughs mainframe/Lisp machine approach), than design programming languages around the machines which run them (the C approach). In this case, it means finding a way to make non-local data references more efficient.
Lisp's original reputation for slowness predated the use of Level 1 caches, and was because many early implementations ran on interpreters.
Lisp predated level 1 caches. I think it's better to design hardware around the software that runs on it (the Burroughs mainframe/Lisp machine approach), than design programming languages around the machines which run them (the C approach). In this case, it means finding a way to make non-local data references more efficient.
Lisp's original reputation for slowness predated the use of Level 1 caches, and was because many early implementations ran on interpreters.