Warning: Off Topic!

This group has been dormant for a while. Here is a bit of an armchair
challenge for all you car enthusiasts:

A friend of mine got a new job, driving to various company facilities
for inspection and problem solving as required. The job means a lot of
time on the road (which he doesn't mind) and staying at motels, and no
home cooking, but hey, it's a job. The company told him they would pay,
subject to approval, 80% of the purchase price and 80% of fuel. (I
think the logic here being that there is always some personal use of a
company car.)

Anyway, we'd like to pick your brains about the ideal car for this job.
The criteria off the top of our heads:

* Comfortable and quiet for hours of highway driving.
* Reasonble gas consumption.
* Not tempting to thieves sitting in a motel parking lot overnight.
* Anything else?

What is NOT required, obviously are 4 doors, 4 seats, lots of trunk
space, high performance, off-road ability, most of the usual stuff that
makes us car nuts.

Love to read your thoughts.

Don