General Motors is investing $854 million in a new generation of small-block V8s. Get all the latest auto industry news in the Executive Briefing.

Today’s headlines:

+   General Motors and LG Energy Solution have indefinitely shelved plans to build a fourth battery cell plant in the USA as the automaker seeks another partner for the facility. More at CNBC.

+   Jozef Koban is reportedly out as head of design at Volkswagen due to differences with CEO Thomas Schaefer over styling, to be replaced by Bentley design chief Andreas Mindt. More at The Drive. 

+   Due to high demand for the vehicles, Ford is offering $2500 to customers who ordered 2023 Broncos if they will switch their purchase to another Ford Motor Co. product. More at Car and Driver. 

+   A 2007 Chevrolet Impala SS racer driven by Jimmie Johnson to one of his seven NASCAR Cup championships will be offered by RM Sotheby’s at its Arizona sale on Jan. 26. More at Motor Authority.

+   The California Department of Motor Vehicles has ruled that the custom-colored  license plates currently popular in the state are in violation of the law and subject to ticketing. More at Autoblog. 

+   A French court ordered Uber to pay $18.43 million in damages and lost salaries to a group of drivers who argued they should be treated like employees rather than contractors. More at World Auto Forum. 

+   Austrian-German race car maker Vanwall plans to build a sporty electric hatchback with up to 580 horsepower in a production run of 500 vehicles and a price of $138,000. More at Autoweek. 

+   General Motors is investing $918 million in four U.S. plants for gasoline engine production and electric vehicle components, including $854 million for a new small-block V8. More at Reuters. 

+   Hyundai’s new motorsport boss Cyril Abiteboul has downplayed talk of the South Korean car manufacturer moving to Formula 1, insisting that the focus remains on rallying. More at Motorsport.com. 

+   NASCAR Cup 2003 champion Matt Kenseth, 95 year-old stock-car pioneer Hershell McGriff, and crew chief Kirk Shelmerdine were inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. More at NBC Sports. 

Photo courtesy of General Motors.

Review the previous MCG Executive Briefing from January 20 here. 

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