One of Finland's richest men has been fined a record 170,000 euros for speeding through the centre of the capital.

Jussi Salonoja, 27, heir to his family's sausage business, was caught driving 80 kilometres per hour in a 40 kilometres per hour zone last Thursday, the police said.

Finnish traffic fines vary according to the offender's income and, according to tax office data, Salonoja's 2002 earnings were close to seven million euros.

The final penalty could still change when the case is eventually heard by a Helsinki court, as was the case with Nokia executive Anssi Vanjoki, whose 116,000 euro speeding fine was slashed by 95 per cent in 2002 due to a drop in income.

If Salonoja's penalty stands, it will beat a speeding fine of more than 80,000 euros paid by Internet millionaire Jaakko Rytsola in 2000.