Delphi, the Michigan-based car parts maker, is set to emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection within the next few days after one of the US’s longest, costliest and most complex court-supervised restructurings.

Since filing for court protection in October 2005, Delphi has paid more than $400m to lawyers, financial advisers and consultants, not only for itself but also for six unions representing its US workers. Almost 19,000 documents have been filed with the New York bankruptcy court overseeing the case.