Cooper Tire's Majority Ownership in Chinese Tire Manufacturer Approved

FINDLAY, Ohio, Dec. 27, 2005 -- Cooper Tire & Rubber Company today announced that all necessary government approvals have been received for its transaction to obtain 51 percent ownership in China's third-largest Chinese-owned tire manufacturer. The closing is anticipated in early January 2006.

In October, Cooper announced its intention to obtain majority ownership in Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Passenger Tire Co. Ltd. and Cooper Chengshan (Shandong) Tire Company, Ltd. The agreement also includes a 25 percent ownership position for Cooper in a steel cord factory which is located adjacent to the tire manufacturing facility in Rongchen City. The two new companies together were known as Shandong Chengshan Tire Company, Ltd. (Chengshan) of Rongchen City, Shandong, China.

The company makes passenger car and light truck radials as well as radial and bias commercial tires primarily under the brand names Chengshan and Austone.

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, light truck, medium truck tires and subsidiaries that specialize in motorcycle and racing tires, as well as tread rubber and related equipment for the retread industry. With headquarters in Findlay, Ohio, Cooper Tire has 40 manufacturing, sales, distribution, technical and design facilities within its family of companies located around the world. For more information, visit Cooper Tire's web site at: www.coopertireandrubber.com