The only 17" MBPs that are available from Apple are in the refurbished section. I purchased one about two months ago and I am very satisfied with it. For me, the large display is a very important criteria.
The 2012 MBPs do have slightly faster CPUs/GPUs but I do not consider the 2011 MBPs outdated in that regard. I am a bit envious of the lack of USB 3 capability, but that is somewhat mitigated by the use of a eSata adapter which comes fairly close to USB 3 speeds (real world).
Though I cannot say with absolute certainty, these may actually be 'new' MBPs. The reason is that according to the serial number of mine, it is allegedly 17 weeks old. The 2012 models came on sale on June of 2012.
Note that the 2011 refurbished MBPs come with Lion and offer a free upgrade to Mt. Lion. Better yet, in my opinion, they can also run Snow Leopard if there is a need to run PPC applications. Naturally you get the same warranty and support benefits with a refurbished unit that you do with a new one.
When I bought my MBP, there were 8 configurations available, now it is down to three. If you have an interest in aquiring one perhaps a quick decision may be prudent.
Ciao