A biweekly roundup of automotive news good, bad and just plain weird:

GM CEO TO STEP DOWN AT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REQUEST

Beleaguered automaker General Motors is turning over leadership to an interim CEO as longtime head Rick Wagoner steps aside. Wagoner leaves behind a company teetering dangerously close to the brink of bankruptcy and a legacy of short-term profits at the expense of long-term planning.

A change of leadership will do little to immediately aid the once world's-largest auto manufacturer, but even with Wagoner's $20 million severance package, it's the first step towards a redesigned GM, one that can compete with Honda, Toyota and Nissan on an equal footing.

CHINESE-BUILT BRILLANCE BS4 UNDERGOES EUROPEAN CRASH STANDARDS

In not-very-shocking news, one of the first Chinese-built vehicles to seek entry into the European sales market has failed spectacularly, garnering a no-stars safety rating. Apparently the 4-passenger, 4-door, MG-clone BS4 folded like a deck chair during front, side, and offset crash testing, earning it an all-time low score unlikely to win it any cheap-and-cheerful accolades.

China's auto manufacturing industry proved that it has the design chops to revolutionize the market at last year's Beijing Auto Show. Now it's up to the engineering departments to develop a way to use something other than second-hand tinfoil for construction.

OHIO MAN BUSTED FOR DUI WHILE RIDING MOTORIZED BAR STOOL

Ohio state police may have not been overly surprised to find the underaged pilot of a motorized bar stool to be over the legal limit when they breathalyzed him. Still, they certainly weren't amused, considering the gentleman in question already had a suspended licence and had just crashed his bar stool at over 30 km/h.

Obviously a motorized bar stool is a not such great idea for avoiding police attention. Next time, try a motorized pew.

STEAM-POWERED SUPERCAR TAKING AIM AT 275 KM/H RECORD

UK national Charles Burnett III plans to pilot what he calls the "world's fastest kettle" to a new world record speed of 275 km/h. The current record stands at just over 200 km/h and was set in 1905, which might be the first clue to Mr. Burnett that he's dealing with slightly older technology.

Still, why give the Victorians the satisfaction when you can bring 12 batteries and over three kilometers of piping to the table? Expect to see Mr. Burnett's creation cleaning carpets and removing wallpaper at double the speed limit this June.

WHOPPING $37,000 TRAFFIC TICKET ISSUED IN PENNSYLVANIA

If you thought photo radar was bad, pity the truck driver who was pulled over in Bethlehem, Pa. last month. The 160-foot-long truck and trailer had been carrying a 213,000 pound steel cylinder when it tipped over, earning some unwanted attention from the boys in blue.

Unfortunately, as several tow-trucks and traffic cops began to sort out the mess, they discovered that the paperwork to carry such an enormous load through town was missing. Oops. The total cost of the fine after being charged for a police escort and the recovery operation was a whopping $37,554.54, much more than it would have cost to get the proper paperwork in the first place.

GOLD-PLATED BUGATTI VEYRON DELIVERED TO MIDDLE EAST

Proving that falling oil prices have no effect on either common sense or good taste, an unknown but obviously insanely wealthy Kuwaiti man has just taken delivery of a very special Bugatti. Bad enough that the quad-turbocharged, 1,001 horsepower hyper-car costs nearly as much as the General Motors bailout, this one has been gold-plated for extra bling. After all, any ordinary peasant could be rolling around in a silver Veyron, with its million-dollar price tag.

Reputed to be stored in a climate-controlled chamber and require periodic $10,000 detailing work, the Gold Bug is probably the most expensive vehicle that Bugatti has produced to date. Good thing you'd have to be suffering from an unfortunate smelting accident just to want one, although you could always take it to Midas for servicing.

Watch this space for all the week's best and worst of automotive news, or submit your own auto oddities to brakingnews@gmail.com.