From France comes this account of a classic race to become fastest man on earth, during the closing years of the 19th century. The contest was between builders of coaches, cabs and transporters. Steam power for these vehicles had all but done its dash, and the market was crying out for light, self-powered machines.  Some promise of success came from Panhard, Levassor, Daimler, Bolle, and Peugeot who were developing automobiles with internal combustion engines. They were still way too low and underpowered to become the next Big Thing.