SHANGHAI, Sept 1 Reuters Tesla on Friday unveiled a restyled Model 3 with a longer driving range in China and other export markets for its Shanghai factory including Europe, putting pressure on rivals.

In China, the world39;s largest auto market and Tesla39;s secondlargest after the United States, the refreshed version of the Model 3 came with a starting price 12 higher than the previous, base rearwheel drive model.

At the same time, Tesla cut the prices in China and the United States for its premium Model S and Model X by between about 14 and 21.

Raising the base price on the Model 3, Tesla39;s best selling model after the Y, could help protect margins, but the price cuts for its higherend models underscored the continued pressure EV makers face, especially in China where Tesla sparked a price war with its Chinese rivals earlier this year.

The updated version of the Model 3 was Tesla39;s first change to its massmarket car lineup since it launched its global bestseller, the Model Y, in 2020.

It was also the first time Tesla had launched a new model in China ahead of the United States, its home market, and comes as it faces intensifying competition on price and features from rivals led by bestselling BYD.

Tesla did not announce a launch date for the new Model 3 in the U.S. market, where it currently offers discounts of more than 5,000 on some of those vehicles in inventory. The company also makes the Model 3 at its plant in Fremont, California.

CHINAFIRST DEBUT…