 However, in New Zealand the Taurus was quite popular.While Australia only saw the 1996 model, both the sedan and station wagon models were sold in New Zealand from 1996 to 1998.Launched while Japan was in a recession following the 1991 collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble, this generation Taurus was exported to Japan in limited numbers, and sold at Japanese auto dealerships called Autorama (a joint venture with Mazda), where the sedan and wagon versions with right-hand driving positions until 1997.