Am example (expanded) of using Python 'clom' library, to "abstract" Virtualbox command-line. Thanks to the "Refs!" It's not a runnable script by itself; will probably make it so, soon.

vbox_clom_trial.py

#!/usr/bin/env python

from clom import clom
from pprint import pprint as pp

# Install, into a virtualenv:  pip install clom
#
# Reference:
#   http://clom.readthedocs.org/en/latest/
# Derived from:
#   http://devdetails.com/2011/11/07/clom-python-command-line-the-easy-way/
#

vbox = clom.VBoxManage                    # create a VBoxManage command-object

def dump_one_vm(vbox, rpt_idx=0):
    """ Report info, on the first Virtualbox VM found
    """
    res = vbox.list.vms.shell.all()           # list all Virtualbox VMs

    vm, vm_id = None, None
    for vm_spec in res:
        if vm_spec.find('{') != -1:           # find the first actual VBox VM
            vm, vm_id = vm_spec.split()
            vm = vm.strip('"')
            break

        return  vbox.showvminfo(vm, machinereadable=True, details=True).shell.all()

def dump_all_linux_os(vbox)
    res = vbox.list.ostypes.shell.all()
    return res

# "display" the Shell command that would be executed, by '.shell.all()'
vbox.createvm( name='Ubuntu_64', ostype='Linux', register=True,)

res = vbox.createvm( name=VM, ostype=OS, register=True, ).shell.all()
pp( res )

"""
out = ["Virtual machine 'CentOS_6-3_x64' is created and registered.",
       'UUID: 3dc57441-cb51-4644-969a-f91aea962c7a',
       "Settings file: '/var/lib/MyData/mbiggers/virtualbox/VirtualBox VMs/CentOS_6-3_x64/CentOS_6-3_x64.vbox'"]
"""

VDI = "{}/{}/{}/{}.vdi".format('/var/lib/MyData/mbiggers/virtualbox', 'VirtualBox VMs', VM, VM)

res = vbox.createhd( filename=VDI, size=8192 ).shell.all()
pp(res)

res = vbox.storagectl.with_opts( VM, name='SATA Controller', add='sata', controller='IntelAHCI' ).shell.all()
pp(res)

res = vbox.storageattach.with_opts( VM, storagectl="SATA Controller", port=0, device=0, type='hdd', medium=VDI ).shell.all()
pp(res)

# Change amt of memory, et cetera...
# PXE-boot: change NIC from (default) 'e1000,' as "plain" VirtualBox install
# has no firmware necessary to net-boot from that device

res = vbox.modifyvm.with_opts( VM, memory=768, acpi='on', nictype1='Am79C973', usb='on', vrde='on', ).shell.all()
pp(res)

pp( vbox.showvminfo(VM, machinereadable=True, details=True).shell.all() )


res = vbox.modifyvm.with_opts( VM, boot1='disk', boot2='dvd', boot3='none', boot4='none',
                               dvd='/var/lib/MyData/CentOS-6.3-x86_64-netinstall.iso').shell.all()
pp(res)

# attach storage controllers to it
res = vbox.storagectl.with_opts( VM, name='IDE Controller', add='ide',  controller='PIIX4').shell.all()
pp(res)
res = vbox.storageattach.with_opts( VM, storagectl='IDE Controller', port=1, device=0, type='dvddrive',
                                    medium='/var/lib/MyData/CentOS-6.3-x86_64-netinstall.iso' ).shell.all()
pp(res)

# clom.VBoxHeadless.with_opts(startvm=VM).background().shell()
#  INFO:clom.shell:Executing command (capture off): nohup VBoxHeadless --startvm 'Test VM' &> /dev/null &

# vbox.controlvm.with_opts( VM ).with_args('poweroff').shell()

# CLONING!  WARNING!
CLONE_ID = 'dpt-min-01'
VDI_clone = "{}/{}/{}/{}-{}.vdi".format('/var/lib/MyData/mbiggers/virtualbox', 'VirtualBox VMs', VM, VM, CLONE_ID)

pp("{} clone =>> {}".format( VDI, VDI_clone ))

vbox.clonehd(VDI, VDI_clone).shell.all()

VM2 = "depot-clone-01"
vbox.createvm( name=VM2, ostype=OS, register=True,)

res = vbox.createvm( name=VM2, ostype=OS, register=True, ).shell.all()
pp( res )

res = vbox.storagectl.with_opts( VM2, name='SATA Controller', add='sata', controller='IntelAHCI' ).shell.all()
pp(res)

res = vbox.storageattach.with_opts( VM2, storagectl="SATA Controller", port=0, device=0, type='hdd', medium=VDI_clone ).shell.all()
pp(res)

res = vbox.modifyvm.with_opts( VM2, memory=768, acpi='on', nictype1='Am79C973', usb='on', vrde='on', ).shell.all()
pp(res)

pp( vbox.showvminfo(VM2, machinereadable=True, details=True).shell.all() )

res = vbox.modifyvm.with_opts( VM2, boot1='disk', boot2='dvd', boot3='none', boot4='none',).shell.all()
pp(res)

# attach storage controllers to it
res = vbox.storageattach.with_opts( VM2, storagectl='IDE Controller', port=1, device=0, type='dvddrive',medium='/var/lib/MyData/CentOS-6.3-x86_64-netinstall.iso' ).shell.all()
pp(res)

res = vbox.modifyvm.with_opts( VM2, memory=768, acpi='on', nictype1='Am79C973', usb='on', vrde='on', ).shell.all()
pp(res)

# "affix" the CentOS DVD #1
res = vbox.storageattach.with_opts( VM2, storagectl='IDE Controller', port=1, device=0, type='dvddrive', medium='/var/lib/MyData/CentOS-6.3-x86_64-bin-DVD1.iso').shell.all()
pp(res)

#. vboxmanage modifyvm --natpf<1-N> [<rulename>],tcp|udp,[<hostip>],<hostport>,[<guestip>],<guestport>]


#.  VBoxManage modifyvm "VM name" --natpf1 "guestssh,tcp,,2222,,22"
#.  VBoxManage modifyvm "VM name" --natpf1 delete "guestssh"

#res = vbox.modifyvm.with_opts( VM2, natpf1='guestssh,tcp,,2201,,22' ).shell.all()

vbox.modifyvm.with_opts(VM2,
                        natpf1='g_ssh,tcp,127.0.0.1,2201,,22',
                        ).shell.all()
vbox.modifyvm.with_opts(VM2,
                        natpf1='g_web,tcp,127.0.0.1,8001,,80',
                        ).shell.all()
vbox.modifyvm.with_opts(VM2,
                        natpf1='g_twisted,tcp,127.0.0.1,8801,,8080',
                        ).shell.all()
vbox.modifyvm.with_opts(VM2,
                        natpf1='g_webmin,tcp,127.0.0.1,10001,,10000',
                        ).shell.all()


# res = vbox.modifyvm.with_opts( VM2, natpf1='delete' 'guestssh' )