DETROIT – It’s the car that has become a talker of the North American International Auto Show, not because it’s sexy, but because it’s like a psychological ink-blot test.

What the heck is it? A bank vault? A taxi for war-torn Baghdad? An MTV-generation party pit?

Yes, yes, and yes, depending on who’s gawking at the Ford Synus concept vehicle.

“It’s awesome. That is so cool. Wow!” says Dennis Blake, 45, of Clarkston, Mich., peering at the 6-inch-thick doors, the combination locks on the exterior, and the humongous flat-screen TV that replaces the rear window.

“Well, I don’t like it,” says a skeptical Julie Cannon, 45, of Detroit. “Looks like a giant coffin.”

“It’s weird,” says Rephael May , 26, of Toledo, Ohio, who wonders if such a vehicle would sell. “It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen.”

For the public, the auto show is usually about oohing and ahhing, not wrestling with ideas. But the hottest conversation at Cobo is happening at the Synus display, as car fans try to wrap their heads around the riddle of this concept.

Chief designer Joe Baker affectionately describes the Synus (pronounced Sin-you-ess) as “a tough little guy” that appeals to young people living in gritty urban environments.

Some car critics have dismissed the car as ridiculous. The New York Times called it “the real oddball at the Detroit show,” but also praised it as “the boldest, most honest rhetoric at the show – and the most impolitic.”

Cars as rhetoric? Now that’s deep, and it gets deeper. The name Synus comes from a combination of the words synthesis and urban sanctuary, a fancy way of saying the outside is about security, while the inside is about enjoying the high-tech life.

The design was inspired by projections that 50 percent of the world’s population will be living in cities by 2010. Urban hipsters will need a car that’s easy to park in tight spaces but safe enough to leave anywhere, or so the theory goes. Smaller than a Ford Focus, the Synus wants to be compact yet intimidating, like a shrunken Hummer.

This is Ford tough as redefined for Generation Y buyers who are confident enough to go small. “They don’t really care if someone says, “Oh, look at your stupid little car,”‘ says Baker.

Is the world so scary that you need a car that doubles as a safe room? Baker says it’s more about privacy than fear. That doesn’t explain the bullet-resistant glass, another Synus feature that comes in handy – if you live in a city with lots of whizzing bullets.

Another futuristic touch: Cameras that replace the side mirrors and the rear window. When the car’s moving, you can see what’s behind you by using the rear-view mirror to check a closed-circuit image on the giant TV in the tailgate (specifically, it’s a 45-inch flat screen LCD monitor).

Inside, the Synus is meant to be an oasis for city kids. They can use the same big screen to watch videos with friends or read e-mails and surf the Web alone. For comfort, the steering wheel folds under the dash and the front seats reverse to face the back.

“It’s essentially a bedroom on wheels,” says Baker, describing a ride that’s as useful at rest as it is in motion. It’s the same idea floated in the 1970s, only back then it was vans loaded with shag carpeting and eight-track players.

As provocative as the Synus is, will any of these ideas show up on future cars, particularly compacts Ford has planned for the U.S. market? The reaction from auto show visitors could help decide that.

At the Synus display, certain phrases ricochet through the crowd, like “armored car” and “Brinks truck.” Several people say the television reminds them of MTV”s “Pimp My Ride,” the show about lavishly customizing cars.

When product specialist Bart Burger gives his speech, he describes the car as “a rolling retreat” designed to “protect your lifestyle.”

Near him, the Fisher family of St. Clair Shores, Mich., is having a generational debate. “I like that the front seat can turn back and let you see the TV,” says Stephen Fisher, 11.

“I thought it was futuristic,” says his mother, Diane Fisher, 43. “It’s not practical. It’s not sexy. I don’t really see it ever becoming anything. The younger kids may go for things like that.”

Stephen seems sold already. “We’d be quiet on a big trip,” he says, looking at the giant screen.

On the other side of the display, Gina Dusseau , 24, of Detroit, says the Synus may look like a bank vault, but it doesn’t make her feel safe.

“I hope I would never be that paranoid,” she says. ” If people are frightened and live in fear, I’m sure it’s a really good idea for them. I’ll stick to my old beat-up used cars.”

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(c) 2005, Detroit Free Press.

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PHOTO (from KRT Photo Service, 202-383-6099): AUTO-SYNUS

AP-NY-01-19-05 1409EST