2021 Lexus RC Adds Swanky Black Line Trim and More Standard Safety Kit

Opting for the RC Black Line also nets a custom set of luggage from Zero Halliburton. 

The Lexus RC is one of those cars that's easy to forget about. It's not particularly popular and its design is somewhat polarizing. Lexus is hoping to bring the RC back to the top of consumer's minds, though, with the reborn RC Black Line. Just like the previously available 2018 model, the 2021 Lexus RC Black Line benefits from orange and black accents throughout.

But this time Lexus is also offering something a little extra. In order to add more appeal to the Black Line, Lexus has partnered with Zero Halliburton to create a bespoke set of luggage for the car. The luggage set features an Edge Lightweight 22-inch Continental Carry-on and a 26-inch Medium Travel Case. Halliburton is known for its high-quality travel bags and briefcases, and the Black Line's standard luggage set only helps affirm the RC's grand touring credentials.

In case you were wondering about the car and not the suitcases, all RC Black Lines come with Triple-Beam LED headlights, 19-inch F Sport wheels finished in what Lexus calls Black Sputtering Chrome (black that sort of glints in the sun), and a pair of blacked-out exhaust tips. The Black Line cars won't even be available in black, though. Instead, the two color options are Ultra White and Cloudburst Gray.

There are updates to the rest of the RC range for 2021, too. Blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert are now standard equipment across the entire RC range. There's also a new color called Grecian Water, bringing the color palette for the RC to a total of nine options. The same powertrains carry over into 2021 without any changes.

That means the RC 300 keeps its turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that makes 241 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. The RC 300 all-wheel-drive gets a 3.5-liter V-6 that makes 260 horses and 236 lb-ft of torque. Finally, the RC 350 gets a slightly tuned up version of that same V-6 that makes 311 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque. There's no word yet on the status of the RC F, but we're hopeful the hot-rod model and its 472-hp V-8 engine return to the line for 2021.