Forget the $500 toilet seat. There is no possible way that a mini-jeep should cost the US Marine Corp $209,000 each.
Washington Post reports that the US Marine Corp has taken delivery of the first Growlers, a pair of models of small jeep like vehicles. One model is designed to be transportable by the V-22 Osprey aircraft for use in reconnaissance missions and the other to tow a 120mm mortar and an ammunition trailer. In the half decade of development their price has risen 120%. The Washington Post reports:
The inspector general report said that the average cost of a single Growler has risen 120 percent, from about $94,000 when the contract was awarded in 2004 to $209,000 in 2008. The unit cost for the vehicle with mortar and ammunition trailer has grown 86 percent, from $579,000 to $1,078,000.
The vehicle itself is only lightly armoured and considered to have limited combat capabilities.