When Porsche introduced its first sedan, the Panamera, seven years ago, people called it ungainly. Ugly, even. Purists said real Porsches have two doors, and fanatics said they have the engine in the back. Such things did not keep the company from selling 150,000 Panameras over the years and recording its most profitable year ever in 2014.

The redesigned car unveiled yesterday still has four doors and the engine in the "wrong" place, but it is a hell of a lot prettier and quite a bit quicker.

The base model, if you can use that term to describe a car approaching six figures, Panamera 4S squeezes 440 horsepower and almost as much torque from a small twin-turbocharged V6. It'll hit 60 in a very respectable 4.2 seconds. Not fast enough? Step up to the Turbo S (yes, they both have turbos, but go with it) and a V8 good for 550 horsepower and equally absurd levels of torque. Sixty mph arrives in 3.4 seconds, letting you get the kids to school with no more than the twitch of your foot.

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Power is nothing without control, the saying goes, so Porsche gave both models a three-chamber air suspension to provide a sporty ride when you want it and a comfy ride when you don't. The "4D Chassis Control" system tailors the suspension, transmission, and brakes to suit your driving style and road conditions. The turbochargers reside in the deep "V" between the cylinder banks, which keeps the engine low in the chassis and the center of gravity closer to the ground, where it belongs. Rear-wheel steering makes the Turbo S even more nimble.

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Inside, you'll find a more intuitive dashboard and console that cribs from smartphones, and an attractive seven-inch screen. Of course the analog tachometer is right in the middle, where it belongs.

The Panamera is still long and low, but the rear end is not so ... bulbous. The designers cribbed styling cues from the 991 (aka the Carerra, aka the 911), the 718 Boxster, and the Cayman to give the aluminum-bodied Panamera a sportier vibe. Clever shaping of the body panels give the car a sleeker look, as does the "charismatic Porsche flyline"—jargon alert!—slope of the roofline, which brings to mind the 991 and makes the rear much tidier.

That's not to say the car will be any less divisive. Some will undoubtedly say it's still ugly. And some will undoubtedly say its still not a real Porsche. And Porsche will still sell them by the boatload.