BEIJING, June 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Aston Martin, one of the world's most renowned sports car manufacturers, announced Monday that it plans to set up dealerships in China next year.

    At a ceremony to introduce Aston Martin's sports cars, the company's CEO Ulrich Benz said Aston Martin will start sales by setting up dealerships in Beijing, Shanghai and southern GuangdongProvince next year.

    DB9 Coupe, acclaimed by the Financial Times in London as "the coolest car on the planet", and V12 Vanquish, Aston Martin's flagship car, presented themselves before China's anticipating audience for the first time at Monday's ceremony.

    According to David McIntyre, Aston Martin's marketing manager, the DB9 has a top speed of 300 kilometers per hour and it can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.

    The V12 Vanquish, he said, was complete with "rockets" and "machine guns" on the first China trip, just like its performance in the Hollywood Bond movie "Die Another Day".

    Bought by US auto giant Ford in 1987, Aston Martin has kept itscommitment to produce exclusive, hand-crafted sports cars during almost 90 years of history. So far, only 19,000 Aston Martins havebeen built and 80 percent are still in use. Enditem