A quick Google shows that it appears to be the advance release/purchase opportunity for the USA (reported there from beginning of Sept) - available " to the U.S. in mid-2011 as the early-release 2012 model".
So basically a late inaugural release model for 2011 so they call it an early 2012 model.....

More marketing hocus-pocus......?? (Not that I'm a cynic!!)