On a bee-line stretch of Michigan 52, which shoots north out of the crossroads center of Stockbridge, we put the pedal down on a souped up sports sedan packing turbo-charged power. Response comes almost instantly, as the new car lunges ahead with its turbo whining and tires scrambling to keep pace with the engine's high-revving whirrs.

The speedometer's needle moves swiftly around the number notches while we work a sporty Momo steering wheel and play the shifter from switches mounted on the wheel. Then we hang on, as the car seems to slink down on the pavement and run with bedrock stability -- as if all four wheels are rooted in the road.

In only a mile-long stretch on the 52's pavement, this machine shows us it has the right kind of structure and strong mechanical components to earn the description of a sports sedan. Yet the surprise, at least from our perspective, is that this particular sports sedan also carries the six-star oval badge of Subaru.

The automaker, headquartered in Japan but armed for America with a manufacturing plant in Indiana, only builds all-wheel-drive (AWD) vehicles for our market and has a reputation here for producing economical cars powered by efficient although rather tepid four-cylinder engines.

Yet in Subaru's 2005 line the Legacy -- mid-size four-door sedans -- scores a redo to create a stronger vehicle and challenges the image of a puny-powered Subaru.

In effect, Legacy in this new format grows up. Physically, it's a larger car now. The wheelbase is about an inch longer and the track is wider too. Overall, the structure measures almost two inches longer and half and inch taller at the roofline.

The exterior stylings look strong and powerful, too. The prow, tapering to a narrow point in front of a sculpted hood, carries new clear-lens halogen four-beam headlamp clusters flanking an octagonal grille split by two parallel bars in chrome and a lower fascia with wide air intakes and round fog lamps on corners. Smooth flanks with body-color moldings, mirrors and door handles are interrupted by modest wheel well blisters and large 17-inch alloy wheels. At the blunt tail there's a spoiler lip on the flat trunk deck and bold taillamp clusters at back corners followed way down by chrome tips of twin pipes.

Subaru also modifies the suspension, brakes and steering mechanisms to forge a more responsive vehicle.

The engine mounts in a cradle that's lower, which ends up setting the car's center of gravity lower. The suspension is fully independent with retuned MacPherson struts up front. In back a redesigned rear multi-link, set on a sub-frame of hydroformed steel, has a lower roll center and revised geometry to increase stability and improve handling. And the steering system, through a rack and pinion arrangement, is also tuned for quicker responses and a more precise on-center feel at the wheel.

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