vehicles to feature in the science fiction and fantasy genre. The X-34 was chosen not just for its role in the plot but also it's thematic contribution to the film. Many Star Wars fans have been inspired to build "working" full-scale replicas of Luke's X-34 landspeeder. Daniel Deutsch built a drivable replica in 2007 using parts from an electric golf cart and fiberglass molding. The replica achieved fame when it was highlighted by former 'N Sync member Joey Fatone and rapper Kanye West. Celebrity YouTube inventor Colin Furze created another replica in 2019 in celebration of the release of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. The only known full-scale metal model of the X-34, it was sold on eBay for £50,000, with all proceeds going to BBC’s ‘Children In Need’. Landspeeders have served as a source of inspiration for Star Wars fans across artistic communities. Digital artist Brad Builds created a landspeeder version of the Pontiac GTO themed around Darth Vader. French photographer Renaud Marion reimagined 9 classic cars as landspeeders as part of a project called Air Cars. Reimagined models included the Porsche 356 and Aston Martin DB5. Although they operate on different principles, flying cars are often compared to Star Wars landspeeders in popular media. The SkyDrive SD-03 flying car specifically was inspired in part by Luke Skywalker's landspeeder. Landspeeders have featured heavily in Star Wars merchandising since their inception. Examples includes Lego models, a drivable Radio Flyer toy, and a cat bed. Bibliography References External links Star Wars vehicles