Tesla fans are buzzing about a suspected Model 3 redesign after an unverified photo circulated online

• Reddit post reignites Model 3 redesign rumors.
• Tesla is in dire need of some design refreshes.

Rumors of Tesla's first-ever major redesign are intensifying after pictures appeared to leak online this week of a refreshed Model 3.

Tesla analysts have long suspected that a Model 3 redesign is in the pipeline for this year, and some Tesla fans have started posting suspected photos of these models online in recent months. Speculation intensified this week with one Reddit poster claiming to have captured an un-camouflaged photo of the new front-end for the Model 3. (It's unclear if the photo is real or not).

CEO Elon Musk has long avoided – and even criticized – the common industry practice of vehicle redesigns. Tesla has instead focused on providing drivers with constant software updates designed to improve the driving experience.

Tesla is taking on the mass market

Musk has said Tesla aims to build 2 million vehicles this year, nearly doubling its 2022 production capacity. To get there, the company is likely going to have to engage in more demand-juicing behavior – a new frontier for a company that once struggled to build enough vehicles to meet demand.

As vehicles like the Model 3 and Model Y – Tesla's most affordable cars – become more ubiquitous, investors and analysts say redesigning these vehicles will be key to increasing deliveries this year.

Tesla is aiming to take on the mass market in a big way this year, teasing the release of a long-promised $25,000 car and setting a new production date for the Cybertruck. These moves, coupled with redesigns, are all but necessary in order for Tesla to truly compete with the likes of GM and Toyota.

Meanwhile, signs of slumping demand have plagued Tesla since late last year, leading the company to slash prices and offer Supercharger incentives more akin to the clearance sales found on traditional dealer lots.