Support for variables, scripting support

I'm an OpenSCAD user and make use of its command line interface to export automated variations of my models. I use:

$t to change the camera (32 rotations)
other variables to adjust wheel turning, tilt body, etc (9 combinations)

My issues with OpenSCAD are:

performance (single-threaded)
user interface (not native)
fixed lighting

So, I was wondering if there are plans to add support for variables and scripting (CLI, AppleScript, internal, etc)

Cheers!
matt from Cornwall

Example final output from my Makefile (render, resize, stitch, convert to 1-bit):

forklift-table-38-38

And the OpenSCAD model used:

// use only in editor, not in CLI batch
$vpr = [45,0,180-$t*360];
$vpt = [0,0,100];
$vpd = 9000;

s = 30;
h = s/2;
d = s*2;
w = h*4.5;
body = "#333";
trim = "#FFF";
black = "#000";
white = "#FFF";
glass = "#FFF";

rr = 1;
rl = 0;
rside = 2;

rf = 0;
rb = 0;
rfwd = 2;

shad = -1;

if (shad == 0 || shad == -1) {
    rotate([0,0,180])
    translate([-h,-d,0])
    car();
}

if (shad == 1 || shad == -1) {
    rotate([0,0,180])
    translate([-h,-d,0])
    realshadow();
}

module car() {
    // rear wheels
    translate([s*0.84, s*1.75, h])
    wheel();
    translate([-s*0.84, s*1.75, h])
    wheel();

    // front wheels
    if (rr == 1) {
        translate([s*0.84, s*3.5, h])
        translate([4,-7,0])
        rotate([0,0,30])
        wheel();
    }
    if (rl == 1) {
        translate([s*0.84, s*3.5, h])
        translate([4,9,0])
        rotate([0,0,-35])
        wheel();
    }
    if (!rr && !rl) {
        translate([s*0.84, s*3.5, h])
        wheel();
    }

    if (rr == 1) {
        translate([-s*0.84, s*3.5, h])
        translate([0,-8,0])
        rotate([0,0,35])
        wheel();
    }
    if (rl == 1) {
        translate([-s*0.84, s*3.5, h])
        translate([0,7,0])
        rotate([0,0,-30])
        wheel();
    }
    if (!rr && !rl) {
        translate([-s*0.84, s*3.5, h])
        wheel();
    }

rotate([-rfwd*rf+rfwd*rb,-rside*rl+rside*rr,0])
translate([0,0,-rfwd*rb+rfwd*rf])
union() {
        // gas can
        color(white)
        translate([-h/2,d*1.85,d*0.88])
        rotate([0,90,0])
        cylinder(s*1.5,8,8);

        // rear grille
        *color(white)
        translate([-9,d*1.975,s*.75])
        cube([d*0.8,10,15]);

        // exhausts
        color(white)
        hull() {
            color(white)
            translate([0, 128, 30])
            rotate([90,0,0])
            cylinder(5,8,8);
            color(white)
            translate([30, 128, 30])
            rotate([90,0,0])
            cylinder(5,8,8);
        }

        difference() {
            body();

            // wheel arches
            union() {
                translate([s*0.75, s*1.75, h])
                arch();

                translate([-s*0.75, s*1.75, h])
                arch();

                translate([s*0.75, s*3.5, h])
                arch();

                translate([-s*0.75, s*3.5, h])
                arch();
            }
        }
    }
}

module body() {
    color(body)
    union() {
        difference() {
            body_main();
            // fork
            translate([15,-5,55])
            cube([d+1,d+1,d*1.2], center = true);
            // fork gap
            translate([15,-5,20])
            cube([s*1.3,d+1,s], center = true);
            // fork gap v r
            translate([-15,16,53])
            cube([s,s,d*1.2], center = true);
            // fork gap v m
            translate([15,16,53])
            cube([h,s,d*1.2], center = true);
            // fork gap v l
            translate([45,16,53])
            cube([s,s,d*1.2], center = true);
            // fork cut
            translate([15,35,66])
            cube([d+1,s/3,d], center = true);

            // roof cut
            translate([15,70,83])
            cube([d+1,d+1,h], center = true);

            // rear cut
            translate([15,136,75])
            cube([d+1,d+1,d], center = true);

            // front cut
            color(glass)
            translate([46,105-s,40])
            rotate([90,0,-90])
            linear_extrude(0,0,62)
            polygon(points=[[40,50],[20,50],[35,-4]]);

            // rear cut
            color(glass)
            translate([46,140,40])
            rotate([90,0,-90])
            linear_extrude(0,0,62)
            polygon(points=[[55,50],[30,50],[30,5],[45,5]]);

            // front and back windows
            color(white)
            translate([-11,35,44])
            rotate([1,0,0])
            cube([52,d*1.2,28]);

            // side windows
            color(white)
            translate([46,105-s,35])
            rotate([90,0,-90])
            linear_extrude(0,0,62)
            polygon(points=[[-10,37],[-16,10],[30,2],[21,37]]);
        }
    }

    // interior
    color("white")
    translate([15,70,41])
    rotate([10,0,0])
    cube([d*0.9,d*0.65,1], center = true);
}

module body_main() {
    difference() {
        // body box
        color(body)
        translate([-h, -h, h])
        cube([s*2,s*4.75,s*2.4]);
    }
}

module wheel() {
    difference() {
        // tyre
        translate([s/3,0,0])
        color(black)
        rotate([0,90,0])
        cylinder(s/3,h*1,h*1);

        // tyre hole
        color(white)
        translate([h/2,0,0])
        rotate([0,90,0])
        cylinder(h,s/3,s/3);
    }

    // hub cap
    color(white)
    translate([h*0.75,0,0])
    rotate([0,90,0])
    cylinder(h/2,s/3,s/3);
}

module arch() {
    // hole
    translate([4.5,0,0])
    color(white)
    rotate([0,90,0])
    cylinder(s*0.7,s*0.6,s*0.6);
}

module mark() {
    translate([h/4,0,0])
    color(black)
    square([s/2,s/2],0);
}

module realshadow() {
  N = [[ 1  , 0  , 0  , 0  ], 
       [ 0  , 1  , 0  , 0  ], 
       [ 0  , 0  , 0.01  , 0  ], 
       [ 0  , 0  , 0  , 1  ] ]; 

    color([0,0,0, 1])
    translate([0,0,-4])
    multmatrix(N)
    car();
}

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