Italian boss under fire for filming 260 km/h German motorway trip

An Italian executive is under fire domestically for filming himself while hitting 260 km/h on a German motorway - where there is no speed limit - in his SUV and posting the clip on his Facebook and Instagram accounts.

Opposition politicians in Lodi, a town to the south-east of Milan, are calling for the 48-year-old manager of a local water provider to be dismissed from his position as his "dangerous behaviour" incited young drivers to speeding.

The man, who has since deleted the posts from his accounts, said he had not broken any rules. "On August 15, I was on a German Autobahn. There are no speed limits there," he said, according to Italian newspaper reports.

The clip shows the speedometer needle moving increasingly quickly towards 260 km/h. According to the man, it was recorded near Stuttgart.

In Germany, motorists using their mobile phones while driving face fines and having points recorded on their driver's licences. Where others are endangered, licences can be confiscated. There are similar penalties in Italy.