Mr. Boone, the rear trunk on my 97 was so hot that it melted my gum-soled shoes together on a long road trip I took this summer!
The laptop bag should go in the footwell of the passenger compartment when you're going to and from work alone. When I have a passenger and my laptop, it goes in the front trunk, where it is far less hot.
I don't think the rear trunk gets hot from the engine... it's the cats, exhaust and muffler that do it. These are located directly under the rear trunk space and heat rises.
You'll appreciate it when you have a 30+ minute drive to your friend's house and the wife has a casserole back there. My wife thinks this "warming oven" in my Porsche is super. However, hauling ice home from the store in the back trunk is not a good idea as I have learned first hand.
