Not only is the Sorosuub X-34 landspeeder one of the most iconic vehicles in Star Wars, it’s one of the most iconic in Hollywood, and the original vehicle from A New Hope is now on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, on loan from the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
First Floor – Artistry
Driven in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
Designer: Tom Karen, Ogle Design
Builder: Ogle Design
Based on: c.1970 Bond Bug 700 ES
The X-34 Landspeeder was built by the SoroSuub Corporation and uses a powerful repulsorlift engine to hover over rough terrain. In the opening scenes of A New Hope, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) uses the X-34 to traverse the arid planet of Tatooine. However, after the death of his aunt and uncle, Luke and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness) travel to Mos Eisley spaceport, where they plan to sell the X-34 in order to pay for transport to Alderaan aboard the Millennium Falcon, which is captained by Han Solo (Harrison Ford).
Despite its brief appearance in the first Star Wars film, the X-34 is a vital plot device. In addition to its supporting the narrative introduction of the film’s main characters, it is used to create a compelling depiction of traveling through the desert. Originally developed from a Bond Bug, a British three-wheel car from the 1970s, a number of “tricks” were employed to achieve a hovering illusion, including a large side-mounted jib and angled mirrors affixed to the undercarriage to hide the wheels.
Exploring the galaxy since 1978, Mark wrote his first fan fiction in '81 and been a presence online since his first webpage Fanta War in 1996. He currently contributes to ILM.com and SkywalkerSound.com, having previously written for Star Wars Insider, StarWars.com, Star Wars Encyclopedia, Build The Millennium Falcon, Starburst Magazine, Geeky Monkey, TV Film Memorabilia and Model and Collectors Mart.
He is a four-time Star Wars Celebration Stage host (the only podcaster to have appeared on every Celebration podcast stage since it began in 2015), the Daily Content Manager of Fantha Tracks and the co-host of Making Tracks, Canon Fodder and Start Your Engines on Fantha Tracks Radio.
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Not only is the Sorosuub X-34 landspeeder one of the most iconic vehicles in Star Wars, it’s one of the most iconic in Hollywood, and the original vehicle from A New Hope is now on display at the Petersen Automotive Museum, 6060 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, on loan from the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art.
First Floor – Artistry
Driven in Star Wars: A New Hope (1977)
Designer: Tom Karen, Ogle Design
Builder: Ogle Design
Based on: c.1970 Bond Bug 700 ES
The X-34 Landspeeder was built by the SoroSuub Corporation and uses a powerful repulsorlift engine to hover over rough terrain. In the opening scenes of A New Hope, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) uses the X-34 to traverse the arid planet of Tatooine. However, after the death of his aunt and uncle, Luke and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Sir Alec Guinness) travel to Mos Eisley spaceport, where they plan to sell the X-34 in order to pay for transport to Alderaan aboard the Millennium Falcon, which is captained by Han Solo (Harrison Ford).
Despite its brief appearance in the first Star Wars film, the X-34 is a vital plot device. In addition to its supporting the narrative introduction of the film’s main characters, it is used to create a compelling depiction of traveling through the desert. Originally developed from a Bond Bug, a British three-wheel car from the 1970s, a number of “tricks” were employed to achieve a hovering illusion, including a large side-mounted jib and angled mirrors affixed to the undercarriage to hide the wheels.
Exploring the galaxy since 1978, Mark wrote his first fan fiction in '81 and been a presence online since his first webpage Fanta War in 1996. He currently contributes to ILM.com and SkywalkerSound.com, having previously written for Star Wars Insider, StarWars.com, Star Wars Encyclopedia, Build The Millennium Falcon, Starburst Magazine, Geeky Monkey, TV Film Memorabilia and Model and Collectors Mart.
He is a four-time Star Wars Celebration Stage host (the only podcaster to have appeared on every Celebration podcast stage since it began in 2015), the Daily Content Manager of Fantha Tracks and the co-host of Making Tracks, Canon Fodder and Start Your Engines on Fantha Tracks Radio.
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Despite its brief appearance in the first Star Wars film, the X-34 is a vital plot device. In addition to its supporting the narrative introduction of the film’s main characters, it is used to create a compelling depiction of traveling through the desert. Originally developed from a Bond Bug, a British three-wheel car from the 1970s, a number of “tricks” were employed to achieve a hovering illusion, including a large side-mounted jib and angled mirrors affixed to the undercarriage to hide the wheels.
