There are perfectly legitimate use-cases for such a "C+" style. The disadvantage is that it won't be considered "good C++ style" and would limit the attractiveness of the project to C++ programmers that enjoy modern C++.
If one would include vector, string, array, smart pointers and maybe simple template code in C+ it would already have a big safety advantage over plain C.
Sounds like a bitter old fossil. My first look at Linux, there were 200 sound-card drivers in the source base. Mostly identical except for the layout of bits in the control register. Any change to the api or conventions, 200 files had to be edited. An ideal place to refactor as a 'sound card' base class and derive classes to handle the (miniscule) differences.
"Keeping new ideas away" is a good working definition of an old coot.
If one would include vector, string, array, smart pointers and maybe simple template code in C+ it would already have a big safety advantage over plain C.