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SOME CARS are appliances. Others are a combination of art andfantasy. The 1987 Chrysler LeBaron Coupe is the latter. It belongs inthe Smithsonian — and on the centerfold of Playboy magazine.

What terrific styling! Photographs don’t do it justice. You have tosee it, feel it, pass your hands over its elegantly flowing lines.

If the LeBaron Coupe were a textbook, it would be banned in Alabama.

Hmph. And it runs as good as it looks. Its low, sensuous body,accented by scalloped rocker panels, hugs the road. The optional2.2-liter, four-cylinder, turbocharged engine in the test model growls abit as it kicks into boost — a real guttural, animal sound.

Then you feel the rush; and you see the undulating road moving up tomeet you, only for it to sink downhill, quickly, again. The LeBaronCoupe stays with it all the way.

Life no doubt has a deeper meaning, a more abiding seriousness thanthe moments of pleasure found in this car. But never mind.

Concern: Detroit’s tendency toward tackiness. The shell of theLeBaron Coupe is so stunning, it’s enough to attract buyers on looksalone. Often, in Detroit, that kind of beauty has meant rising salesaccompanied by declining taste.

For example, a body style catches on, but not everyone can afford tobuy the car in the dress that best displays that styling. So the moneyfolk in the auto companies get their people to cut costs by throwing ina lot of ticky-tacky stuff and mismatched equipment such as hand-crankwindows and six-way power seats, or econocar vinyl mated with suppleleather.

The result is a cheapness, born of inconsistency, that erodes thevalue of the line.

Praise: There is no tackiness in the test model . From its “rosewoodmist” and cordovan exterior to its fabric and leather-covered interior,there is a pleasant cohesiveness. People asked for rides in this car. Afew of them even came close to begging. Those who got in found room forfive.

Chrysler is going after the baby-boomers with the LeBaron Coupe,trying to cash in on that 40-year-old, largely college-educated crowdwith average annual household incomes of $36,400. Many of them aredriving imports. But there’s enough in this package to bring ’em back tothe red, white and blue.

Ride, acceleration and handling: The test car’s turbocharged engineis given added thrust with multiport fuel injection. Power peaks at 140horsepower at 5,200 rpm, more than enough to move this car’s 3,250pounds with speed and agility. The sports-suspension ride may be alittle harsh for some buyers in the mid-luxury class. But that stiffnessproves beneficial in sharp turns. This car won’t wobble in the hands ofpeople who drive at reasonable highway speeds.

Sound system: AM/FM stereo radio and cassette with electronic seekand scan. Chrysler Premium system. Excellent.

Mileage: About 21 to the gallon (14-gallon tank, 294-mile range),combined city-highway, running with one to five occupants and withheat er on most of the time.

Price as tested: $16,530, including $3,828 in options (such asturbocharged engine and three-speed automatic transaxle) and $414destination charge. Base price on the “Premium” LeBaron Coupe, the testmodel, is $12,288. Dealer’s invoice price on the “Premium” model is$10,569.80. “Highline” LeBaron coupes have a base price of $11,295 and adealer invoice price of $9,725.75, according to Automobile InvoiceService of San Jose, Ca.