Using numerical simulations of the merger between a high- and a low-luminosity elliptical galaxy the authors show that this type of merger can result in an elliptical with a counterrotating core. Only merger orbits retrograde with respect to the primary spin generate counterrotating cores, because the initial secondary spin does not survive the merger even though the secondary core is not disrupted during the merger. The shape and the rotation axis of the primary are severely modified during the merger. The remnants of the simulations show a similarities with elliptical galaxies with peculiar core kinematics.