MOST of the machinery and equipment from the former Honda manufacturing plant in South Marston has been sold to a single buyer.

The global advisory, restructuring and investment firm Gordon Brothers oversaw the auctioning off of the factory's expensive assets and did not disclose the identity of the big spender.

Offers flew in from around the globe for the auction of state-of-the-art engine manufacturing and assembly equipment.

This included a four-cylinder diesel engine multi-station assembly line, a mechanical press, 59 car-making robots, a press shop, injection moulding, die-casting, machine tools, a paint plant, a drive-through vehicle rain simulator used to check for water leaks in car bodywork, and a vehicle lift that can carry 3,000kg.

The sales went through after production at the plant stopped for the final time in July.

The company has now started the bidding for a new auction which will see the sale of racing cars and tools from the Honda Synchro Motorsport team.

This includes five Honda Civic Type-Rs, a Honda Jazz with a modified Type R engine, a Brian James race car transporter, and high-end tooling.

Honda employees at the 370-acre site dedicated some of their free time to developing and racing the cars as part of the voluntary Synchro Motorsport race team which was founded in 1992, the same year they began manufacturing the fifth generation Honda Accord.

The motorsport team's name came from the code name assigned to the Accord during its development - Synchro.

Gordon Brothers industrial and commercial managing director Duncan Ainscough said: “This online auction presents a unique opportunity to purchase Honda’s very own Synchro Motorsport assets, which have competed in Britcar's Dunlop Endurance Championship, Creventic 24H Series and some of the most testing endurance championships in Europe.

"All of these popular assets are well maintained, making them attractive propositions for potential buyers, and are expected to generate high levels of global interest.”

The online auction is live until September 23. Gordon Brothers has worked with four out of the five major global automotive companies, completed more than 1,200 engagements and appraised £11 billion of automotive assets over the years.

For more information about the auction, visit gordonbrothers.co.uk/Honda-Synchro or email dainscough@gordonbrothers.com