Edvin Ovasapyan is a one-of-a-kind dude. So it stands to reason that his most prized possessions are about as unique as he is. In this case, we'd be talking about the 14 luxury vehicles he owns and stores in a rather inconspicuous building in Culver City.
Just how unique is his collection? Well, according to Robb Report, being in the same quarters as a cool Ferrari, a posh Mercedes-Benz or a sleek Cobra would be enough to take a car aficionado's breath away. But here's the rub. The Ferrari happens to be a limited edition F12tdf. The Mercedes-Benz is a 2009 SL65 AMG Black Series refitted with turbochargers, engine cooling, and air intake systems all custom made. And the Cobra? It's a one-of-a-kind Shelby model with a rebuilt Rousch 427IR engine. Even the paint jobs on most of the 14 four-wheelers he owns were done to his specifications.
“I want them to be my own," said Ovasapyan. "When you buy from the manufacturer, even if only 100 were made, that means 100 people have the same car as you do. Sometimes I go through six different wheels on a car before I like it. When I’m sitting in it, the car is me. That’s what I want.”
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Ovasapyan is in the process of adding a Mercedes-Benz G550 4x4, a model he spent more than a year waiting for. That's how long it took for a crew to rip it apart and rebuild, right down to the sound system from Germany. About the only thing that hasn't been tampered with is a Ferrari F40. Ovasapyan felt that it was the most iconic vehicle from the Ferrari family, and felt there was at least one model best left unchanged.
Regardless of how many alterations his cars have made since coming off the assembly line, there's no doubt Osvasapyan is very passionate about his collection. He retorted that when he falls in love with a vehicle, he just has to own it, much like the toy replicas he had when he was younger. To him, the allure of the larger versions stored in his hiding place is more than the power those vehicles pack. He's particularly drawn to a car's design and its sound. The more genuine the exhaust sounds, the greater the rush.
But when it comes to cherishing what he owns, Osvasapyan is a bit more grounded philosophically.
“Fall in love with it, but always be ready to let go of it," he said. "Don’t be fully attached. Everything comes and goes in life.”