diff --git a/vehicle/config.go b/vehicle/config.go
index 15c1cce88..2da2f8afe 100644
--- a/vehicle/config.go
+++ b/vehicle/config.go
@@ -35,7 +35,11 @@ func NewFromConfig(ctx context.Context, typ string, other map[string]any) (api.V
 	}
 
 	if cc.Cloud {
-		cc.Other["brand"] = typ
+		// keep an explicit brand (e.g. drivesomethinggreater's Audi/Seat/...);
+		// otherwise the type itself is the brand (legacy per-brand vehicles)
+		if _, ok := cc.Other["brand"]; !ok {
+			cc.Other["brand"] = typ
+		}
 		typ = "cloud"
 	}
 
diff --git a/vehicle/vw/eudataact/eudataact_test.go b/vehicle/vw/eudataact/eudataact_test.go
index ba98df148..580364fcf 100644
--- a/vehicle/vw/eudataact/eudataact_test.go
+++ b/vehicle/vw/eudataact/eudataact_test.go
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ func TestResolveBrand(t *testing.T) {
 
 	_, ok := resolveBrand("nope")
 	assert.False(t, ok)
+
+	// IsBrand drives the cloud server's brand -> drivesomethinggreater routing
+	for _, name := range []string{"audi", "Volkswagen", "seat", "CUPRA", "skoda"} {
+		assert.True(t, IsBrand(name), "%q is a VW group brand", name)
+	}
+	assert.False(t, IsBrand("tesla"))
 }
 
 func TestPending(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/vehicle/vw/eudataact/types.go b/vehicle/vw/eudataact/types.go
index 7920322b7..6d17e73a3 100644
--- a/vehicle/vw/eudataact/types.go
+++ b/vehicle/vw/eudataact/types.go
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@ func resolveBrand(name string) (brand, bool) {
 	return brand{}, false
 }
 
+// IsBrand reports whether name is a known VW group brand (case-insensitive)
+func IsBrand(name string) bool {
+	_, ok := resolveBrand(name)
+	return ok
+}
+
 // Vehicle is a single entry of the portal vehicle list. VIN and name carry
 // several alternative field names depending on the response variant.
 type Vehicle struct {