The Ford SYNus is a concept car that debuted at the 2005 North American International Auto Show as a boxy, subcompact "urban sanctuary" designed to look like a rolling bank vault

Posted by Venkie2Maybach@reddit | WeirdWheels | View on Reddit | 84 comments

Based on the European Ford Fiesta chassis.

The name SYNus (pronounced "sin-you-ehs") is a synthesis of the words "synthesis" and "US" (Urban Sanctuary). It was intended to represent a tough, secure shell that protected a soft, relaxing interior from the chaotic city environment.

The exterior was inspired by armored cars and bank vaults. It featured bullet-resistant windows and a body frame.

When parked, steel shutters would deploy over the windshield and side windows for maximum security.

Since there was no rear window, a 45-inch LCD monitor was mounted on the inside of the rear door, displaying a high-definition feed from rear-facing cameras.

The rear hatch had no window and was operated by a vault-style four-spoke spinner.

The front seats could rotate 180 degrees to face the rear, turning the cabin into a social "conversation pit" when the car was in lockdown mode.

While the SYNus never reached production, it was an early exploration of Ford's interest in bringing smaller, B-segment cars (like the eventual US-market Fiesta) to North America.

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AC-burg@reddit

Nice. I've never had the pleasure of driving either of those but I do enjoy me a manual shifter as often as possible.

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yoweigh@reddit

I just helped my ex shop for a car, and it's really difficult to get a stick in the US now. They're basically only available on high end sporty cars, which I find hilarious. The only legit manual truck is the Tacoma; other than that it's just the Gladiator/Wrangler. She ended up with a Mazda 3 hatchback with a stick, but she had to sacrifice mpg and some safety features to do it. We figure this might be her last opportunity to buy one new.

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ponyboy3@reddit

Looked at the Mazda, no thanks lol

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yoweigh@reddit

Yeah, it's not a fun car. Huge downgrade from her 2016 Mini Cooper S convertible, but we have two kids and it was becoming more and more impractical. Mini doesn't even offer sticks anymore!

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AC-burg@reddit

I saw someone recently who had a mini clubman in a stick and they loved it. It wasn't a new new car but new to them a d I had questions.

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ponyboy3@reddit

Mazda is taking themselves too seriously with the cx9 and the 3 is simply meh. Lots of options if sticks wasn’t a hard pass for you, definitely sucks that there are so few options

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AC-burg@reddit

Yes its a sad state for manuals in the US for sure.

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cornlip@reddit

The automatic one is terrible for the first few years. It feels like a different car in a bad way. The cable shifter is awesome and being right next to the wheel is great.

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AC-burg@reddit

I have a F-350 dually diesel a G37s sedan rwd and a Mazda 5 that are my current manual shift options in the driveway

glytxh@reddit

I was ambivalent until I scrolled to the interior.

I like it

undernocircumstance@reddit

Looks like it's from Fallout and powered by a fusion cell

Chai47@reddit

If this were released today as an EV, I would seriously consider it.

metarinka@reddit

I think the lines are kinda cool. M don't think it needs the bullet proof windows and LCD screen but I could totally see something marketed as another Hummer and a version that's a secured work truck

wasabi1787@reddit

I for one cannot fathom why this didn't make it to market 🤣

Redoron@reddit

Calling it a sinus doesn’t help.

It did it was called the Honda Eliment

I have two

You have to? Go to the restroom? Oh NM you know which to to use. Is either of them manual shift?

Yeah I love the manual shifter in these things. It’s the same as the ones in the EP3 Civic

chewbaccaballs@reddit

Yeah this thing is giving armored Element vibes

Sawfish1212@reddit

Kia soul

Typo or intentional? Either way, that will be the Honda Ailment to me for now on

Dude I fuckin want it. It’s ridiculous

What is ridiculous about filling a faux armored car with Logan's Run interior design

Oh, nothing. Carry on.

dth1717@reddit

Apart from the back door I sorta like it

KittySharkWithAHat@reddit

I like it because its strange.

Illustrious_Menu_281@reddit

New mail truck

Careflwhatyouwish4@reddit

Looks like a rebadged Nissan Cube. 😆

SIrPsychoNotSexy@reddit

Would.

40GallonsOfPCP@reddit

It’s so ugly! (I’ll take two of them please)

AskYourDoctor@reddit

"Sinus" are you fucking kidding me. Everything else aside, someone should be fired for letting the name make it that far

AIMRunningMan@reddit

A little too on-the-nose

Cermo@reddit

Rip a wicked fart in it when you have passengers, call yourself Sudafed.

Poutinemilkshake2@reddit

This is the same brand who named a car a "Probe"

TacoBellerino@reddit

The Ford Perineum GT: get from here to there in style

UnLuckyKenTucky@reddit

You used to make ads for FoMoCo, didn't you?....

Delicious_Quality_95@reddit

They also had the “Contour”

Dadbert97@reddit

It was supposed to be pronounced “sinuous.” Which it definitely was not.

kaest@reddit

It's a concept, they weren't going to market it.

Yeah but the point of a concept is to show it off. Or at least, if your concept gets to the point of showing off, you should change the name by that point.

dr_strange-love@reddit

Making this as far as a concept was a mistake.

TheReelMcCoi@reddit

Not to be sniffed at.......

binghamptonboomboom@reddit

I was confused by this as well.

Armored_Guardian@reddit

Why is the interior so… fleshy

murse_joe@reddit

Concept cars always have weird interiors. They don’t have to make them practical for a big market.

gr8masturb8@reddit

the back turns into a bed, there's tough love written on the license plate and it's called the sin us, i think i see why.

kilobitch@reddit

Man that thing SCREAMS 2005.

Drzhivago138@reddit

Styled by the same team that did the Super Chief and the Bronco?

Csharp27@reddit

Geoff

Buckles01@reddit

The steering wheel looks like it’s crowning

FrenchFryCattaneo@reddit

Someone got confused that 'bank vault' on the mood board was just an inspiration not instructions on what to build.

Beekeeper_Dan@reddit

Love child of a Nissan Cube and an armored car

RetMilRob@reddit

I’d get one for the city

DFLDrew@reddit

"We have Scion xB at home"

shapu@reddit

I'll take two

NoCountryForOldPete@reddit

Like five minutes after seeing this thing, I had to come back to it again because the thought "Hold on a second, did that thing have three pedals? It was a manual?!" popped into my brain.

Sheesh. Back when sticks were still expected to be part of the future in some way, shape or form.

nientoosevenjuan@reddit

The Homer

Playful-Current1256@reddit

the Toyota XB ladies and gentlemen

datdamnchicken@reddit

Clearly a Honda Element

I don’t know why, I love vehicles that look like boxes. This is kinda cool

herodesfalsk@reddit

Designers were clearly influenced by Detroit inner city reality, not California beaches.

flipper_babies@reddit

The cutout for your butthole is a nice touch.

No-Victory-5519@reddit

While its not everyone's cup of tea, there's one thing its got over many contemporary concepts, and that's personality, I wish automakers still had that spark.

teamgiant82@reddit

Honda Element

ImaginedUtopia@reddit

The exterior is pretty goofy but the interior is fucking amazing. That's how cars of the future should look on the inside!

adeyfk@reddit

Looks like a precursor to the Ford Flex.

Venkie2Maybach@reddit (OP)

I thought this:

https://www.netcarshow.com/ford/2005-fairlane_concept/

frockinbrock@reddit

Same year, was it the same designer? Or just a design language that Ford wanted at the time?

_high_plainsdrifter@reddit

Correct, also saw that one at its debut. I miss going to the auto show. Granted I live in Chicago now and it’s my own fault I don’t go to the huge one at McCormick but the early 00s were a hell of a time for the concept cars.

SpaceXmars@reddit

Baby brinks

Definitely is Weird! Front end look very Dodge Nitro, rest of the body is almost Nissan Cube inspiration, with a closed concept instead of open (the curved window). The flip-flop seats are funny for 2005. Overall I don't think the concept works, but it's interesting.
I once was driving home over a bridge one weekend and it was apparently a night where a group races over said bridge; glad I was in the right lane in my civic because a dodge Nitro blew by me doing at least 120, and that thing looked like a hiccup would make it flip & roll. Anyway, that vehicle is burned in my brain, it's an odd shape.

This is like some dystopian cyberpunk a la THX1138