a) The number of wheels are irrelevant.
b) Benz’ vehicle was the first produced and marketed vehicle with internal combustion engine. It is therefore rightly called the first proper automobile. Everything else before was experimentation.
c) Ford’s achievement was producing more effectively. This has nothing to do with INVENTING the automobile.
Obama might have had a point, had he said that “America has pioneered in the automobile industry” or something of that sort. But his actual statement was patently false and the defense of his gaffe is equally amusing as it is futile.
Your discounting of steam is pretty dumb. steam powered many many things for many many years. Yet you think it is not good enough for the auto IN IT’S INFANCY? That makes no sense.
The benz was experimentation.