Cooper Tire Officially Rolls Out Greater Fuel Efficiency Tire

Tire Fitments Cover a Variety of Hybrid Vehicle Makes to Meet Consumer Demand

FINDLAY, Ohio, July 7 -- COOPER TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY announced today that to meet consumer demand for greater vehicle fuel efficiency, it has added its first low-rolling resistance tire line - the Cooper GFE (Greater Fuel Efficiency) - to its product portfolio. The Cooper GFE is now available at dealers nationwide.

"With the recent volatility in gasoline prices, customers are looking for ways to improve their vehicle fuel economy," said Chuck Yurkovich, Vice President of Global Technology. "Tire rolling resistance has a significant impact on vehicle fuel economy, so Cooper responded with a new tire specifically designed for fuel-efficient vehicles."

The GFE, Cooper's first tire to focus on lower rolling resistance, utilizes advanced design and materials technology to maximize fuel economy, saving money at the pump while providing excellent traction and treadwear. The GFE is a touring tire offered in eight sizes targeted for fuel-efficient vehicles, but also includes popular broadline sizes. Key Toyota fitments include the Hybrid Prius, Corolla, Yaris and Echo. Key Honda fitments include the Hybrid Civic and Fit. The size offering also covers several vehicles from Ford, GM, Chrysler and Nissan, as well as many others.

The GFE showcases Cooper Energy Return Technology (CERT), a new innovative tread stock that features a unique silica technology married with a specialized polymer to provide very low-rolling resistance, while maintaining outstanding wet grip and long tread life.

The GFE also employs unique mold technology using traction compensating sipes. These innovative sipes increase in length as the tire wears. The interlocking action of the sipes helps provide more stable handling when the tire is new, then adds length to the biting edges throughout the life of the tire. This technology helps maintain wet and winter traction as the tread wears.

In addition, the GFE has a T speed rating, which meets or exceeds the original equipment requirements of many automobiles, minivans and crossovers. The all-season design also employs a computer-enhanced, sound-quality system that optimizes the tread pattern to produce a quiet ride. The appearance of the GFE is enhanced by the use of engraved segmented molds. The molds use Cooper's ventless technology, which provides a clean, crisp, premium appearance.

The new GFE features a 60,000-mile treadwear protection warranty, is covered under Cooper's standard warranty and carries a free 45-day road test.

About Cooper Tire & Rubber Company

Cooper Tire & Rubber Company is a global company that specializes in the design, manufacture, marketing and sales of passenger car and light truck tires and subsidiaries that specialize in medium truck, motorcycle and racing tires. With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located in 10 countries around the world. For more information, visit Cooper Tire's web site at: www.coopertire.com.