Totally agree with that last point. Mechagnomes might have at least had a niche if you could give them normal vs mechanical arms, normal vs mechanical legs, the kind of “no two robo-gnomes” are alike deal…and if the transmogs didn’t make them into the underpants gnomes.
They still wouldn’t be a fan favorite, but maybe they would have had a cult following.
As it is right now, though–not only did no one ask for them, but the lazy, limited approach to them made it so they basically could have just made a customization option for gnomes and call it a day.