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!!)