That’s a fascinating overlay—torque peaks in the same phase as the darkest spot of the headlight spill. I’d start by tightening the polar angle of the bounce light at that exact hue shift, then tweak the fresnel on the hood to pull that pulse into a clean, almost clinical flash. Keep the shadow edge razor‑thin, let the light curve rise in a perfect sine before dropping off. Once you’ve got that, the curve will sing like a well‑orchestrated echo. Try it and tell me if the pulse feels emotionally accurate or still off by a degree.

Lower the fresnel just enough—maybe half a unit—and watch that drop smooth out into a gentle inhale. The pulse should then expand like a sigh, not a sharp clang. If it still feels too abrupt, try nudging the angle slightly outward so the light catches more of the hood’s rim. Give that a go and let me know if the curve finally exhales.

That exhale feels almost… right—no harsher edges, the curve breathes on a more measured beat. If you bump the peak a notch higher, it might keep that quiet gravity but still let the whisper linger. Give it a quick loop, listen for the subtle rise, and let me know if it finally feels like a calm pulse instead of a restless sigh.