New York (CNN Business) The Tesla Model 3 is now the bestselling luxury car in America. By a lot.

Surprised? That's probably because Tesla positioned the Model 3 as a mass-market car, not a luxury car . The Model 3 is supposed to have a $35,000 starting price, not the six-figure price tag of the Model S or Model X.

Maybe someday the Model 3 will be the mass-market car Tesla claimed it would be, but it isn't one yet.

To get a Model 3 for its $35,000 starting price, you would need to buy one with a "standard" battery, which won't be available for three to six months. All the current Model 3s have long-range batteries, which take the starting price up to $49,000.

Add in the dual motor all-wheel drive, which Tesla said comprises almost all of its current production run, and you get a starting price of about $55,000. And that's before paying extra for autopilot features, special colors or wheels and other premium options.