I'm a little late to the conversation, but the Chrysler Airflow (1934-37) was one of the first American production cars to seriously employ streamlining concepts in body design. Perhaps it was TOO ahead of its time, as it was a commercial failure. The Lincoln Zephyr retained a more traditional hood, and fared much better in public acceptance. Whether the Airflow really inspired Ferdinand Porsche in designing his Volkswagen Beetle is disputed, but the Airflow's modern features (including all-steel unibody construction) had lasting influence in the automobile industry. See:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Airflow
David T. Okamura