10 Most Exciting New Cars 2025

 

The invention of the first car is attributed to several pioneers, depending on how you define a "car."

• Nicolas-Joseph Cugnot, a French engineer, built the first full-scale, self-propelled mechanical vehicle in 1769. It was a steam-powered tricycle designed for the French military.

• Karl Benz, a German engineer, is often credited with inventing the first true automobile in 1885. His Benz Patent-Motorwagen was powered by an internal combustion engine and is considered the first practical automobile.

Both of these inventors made significant contributions to the development of the car, but Benz's creation is generally recognized as the first vehicle designed specifically for personal transportation with an internal combustion engine.