The first land speed record was conducted in 1890 by Count Gaston de Chasseloup-Laubat or the Electric Count as he was known as. Using his electric car he managed a staggering top speed of 39.24 mph, he only managed to hang on to this record for just a few days before being smashed by an even faster electric car.
During World War 1 6000 French troops were transported to the First Battle of the Marne in taxis, it took 600 Paris taxis to carry this feat out and it was on the order of General Joseph Gallieni, who was the military governor of Paris at the time and more than that the battle was won.