New Mario Kart 7 screenshots – Tanooki power-up

From: http://nintendoeverything.com/

A good amount of these screenshots show the Tanooki , a new power-up for the Mario Kart series.
Here’s how Nintendo describes it:

“Fans of the Tanooki power-up will be glad to hear that the Super Leaf makes an appearance in this latest instalment giving you both offensive and defensive abilities. Use your Tanooki tail to both protect you from incoming shells and to whip opponents off the track.”