Who invented the world's first concept car?

The world's first concept car was the Buick Y-Job, invented by Harley Earl, the first director of the Art and Color Section of General Motors in the United States and known as the father of American automotive styling, in 1938. The following is a specific introduction to Harley Earl and the Buick Y-Job:

Harley Earl was born on November 22, 1893. His father was a carriage body manufacturer and later switched to manufacturing car bodies. Under such an influence, Harley Earl developed a strong interest in automotive design from an early age and uniquely created a method of designing body shapes using clay, which is the clay model widely used in the automotive design industry today. He studied art and engineering at Stanford University and later entered General Motors. At General Motors, his first designed car, LaSalle, became a benchmark work in the automotive design field at that time due to its elegant appearance.

The Buick Y-Job had many advanced design elements at that time, such as continuously curved surfaces, parallel alloy decorations protruding from the body, creating a long and narrow body line. There were also recessed headlights, power windows, a horizontal radiator grille, door handles flush with the body, a power-operated convertible top, etc. These configurations were extremely advanced and rare at that time. Its streamlined profile had a profound influence on later automotive design, leading a new development trend in the automotive industry in terms of craftsmanship and styling, showing people more possibilities in automotive design and providing an important reference and inspiration for subsequent automotive design and development.